By Rob Courtney Richard Cornelius is long retired with his feet up in Prebbleton but the wily Cantabrian has been a harness enthusiast for as long as he can remember. His list of winners indicates he has won his share of good races. Gail Devers (Live Or Die – Awesome Dream) won 10 from just 19 starts and Oscar Wild (Albert Albert – For The Boys) won 11 and was placed in an Auckland Cup. Both were trained by David and Catherine Butt when they were winning multiple trainers premierships…
Category: Meeting Previews
Leanne Edwards – “I’m hanging up the bridle”
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After 40 years, Morrinsville-based trainer Leanne Edwards is calling time on her training career. “I still love them (the horses) but it’s time for a change,” says Edwards, “I’m hanging up the bridle.” “I sold my last one (Cupids Arrow) last month.” Edwards’ first winner was Grattan Royale in 1984. He ended up winning six from 24 and her headliner was Frugal Echo, who won 16 from 81 career starts. “He was the best trotter I ever trained,” she says. In the early…
HRNZ – Statement on Nigel McGrath
A decision has been made allowing Nigel McGrath to make a partial return to the industry, but under very strict conditions. At the last Harness Racing New Zealand AGM clubs and kindred bodies passed a rule change allowing any banned party to apply for an exemption if they have served at least half of their penalty. McGrath, who was banned for eight years, met this criteria and subsequently applied for a number of exemptions. HRNZ’s Exemptions Committee met to consider the matter and concluded that the conditions regarding McGrath’s ban…
Michael House prevails in NZ Amateur Driving Championship
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After a close run series, Michael House is New Zealand’s champion amateur driver. The series concluded at Addington yesterday with House and Bruce Hadley both tied on 16 points. A countback then couldn’t separate the pair as both drivers had one win, one second and a third over the four races at Cambridge (Thursday) and Addington (Friday and Sunday). According to the conditions of the Championship “should no winner be identified at the end of the initial count back then the winner…
Purdons go two from two in Brisbane
By Adam Hamilton It was a perfect start for Team Purdon’s Queensland raid at Albion Park last night. Mark and Nathan Purdon’s two raiders, Oscar Bonavena and Rubira, both won impressively. And Nathan Purdon was quick to add the pair had significant room to improve, too. Old Oscar Bonavena showed all his trademark speed and class when patiently driven by Adam Sanderson. The nine-year-old stalked a hot speed, loomed into the race coming to the final bend and cruised home to win without being extended by 4.4m in a slick…
Craig Sharpe looks to make his mark in amateur championships
By Mike Love The New Zealand Amateur Drivers championship will conclude today at Addington raceway with two final heats. Currently there are three leaders in the series locked up on seven points in Bruce Hadley, Cheree Wigg and Frank Phelan, while each driver has a mathematical chance to take out the series with only seven points separating all of the drivers. At the opposite end of the table on zero points is Craig Sharpe. However, Sharpe will drive the two warm favourites – the Matt Purvis trained Almighty Clever in…
Big Friday night for Williamsons at Addington
By Jonny Turner Yet again it has been proven that a horse with ability and Phil Williamson’s masterful hand are a potent combination. In the depths of winter while most star three-year-old trotters are off the scene, Tarragindi is taking huge strides towards his big spring targets. The trotter cleared out for an emphatic win for driver Nathan Williamson, on a big Friday night at Addington for his father Phil, who later produced Becky’s Girl for an effortless debut victory for driver Brad Williamson. Tarragindi showed all sorts of ability…
Hackett ok after Alexandra Park heroics
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Top junior driver Crystal Hackett is nursing a few bumps and bruises but is otherwise ok after an eventful and scary time at Alexandra Park last night. She had just won Race 8 with debutant Buddy Guy at the park and was returning to the stabling area when the two-year-old got spooked. Hackett was tipped from the sulky and got dragged along the infield. “It was a good distance and it was at a good clip,” Hackett says, “it certainly felt…
NZ Amateur Drivers championships set for big finale
The New Zealand Amateurs Drivers championships looks set for a big finish at Addington tomorrow (Sunday). The Raceway will host the final two heats of the four-race series, with Bruce Hadley, Cheree Wigg and Frank Phelan all tied on seven points, one ahead of Alan Edge, and Michael House and John Kriechbaumer on five. Wigg won last night’s heat at Addington thanks to a determined finish by the Matt Purvis-trained Almighty Clever in the IRT.Your Horse. Our Passion Mobile Pace. Almighty Clever will back up at the Raceway tomorrow as…
Harrison drives first winner for “new” boss
By Jordyn Bublitz Driving a winner at Cambridge Raceway last night was a “first” for junior driver Alicia Harrison. She drove For Always Arden to take out the Ferguson Racing Thanks Owners and Clients Mobile Pace and while it was her third win since returning to racing after being out of commission for a year due to shoulder surgery it was her first for her “new” boss Tony Herlihy since joining his stables in April. “I was looking for a change, and the chance to work for Tony came…