Category: Meeting Previews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  Not that he necessarily needed it but Jumal has secured a big tactical advantage ahead of Friday’s $200,000 Group 1 Garrards NZ Sires’ Stakes 3YO Colts and Geldings Final (8.38pm) at Addington. The Steven Reid-trained star has drawn three for the 1980 metres and tellingly  talented rival Forever Miki will start further out, at eight on the front row. The pair were one-two in last Friday’s semi final with many thinking Forever Miki would be a huge threat to Jumal if favoured by…

By Mike Love  Rangiora trainer Steven Reid will be looking for further success today after Jumal’s winning return to Addington on Friday night as he chases glory in the Anne Thompson Memorial maiden series finals at Rangiora.  Reid has a runner in each of the $24,250 finals, both with excellent cases to make.  Race 5 sees the final for the trotters take place, sponsored by Wai Eyre Stud, getting underway at 1.01pm, with Party Pack ($4.20FF) and Gavin Smith. The three-year-old Six Pack filly is having her third start today,…

By Jonny Turner  Matthew Williamson remembers the good old days, but he wouldn’t go back. Not that long ago the preparing for a meeting like Sunday’s Ascot Park trots was relatively easy given for the most part he had to simply show up and drive. In recent seasons that has all changed with his move into full-time training which has seen him quickly ascend to being Otago’s leading trainer on wins. Williamson’s rise is evident in him lining up a sizeable team of seven runners on Sunday, among his 12…

By Michael Guerin Bob Butt knows he can win two of the majors at Addington tonight but his confidence levels are greatly different. Because Butt and most punters will be surprised if Sideshow Bruce doesn’t win the Betavet Uncut Gems Aged Pace but the Commodore Hotel Aged Trot might be a tougher nut to crack for stablemate Roydon Muscle. Sideshow Bruce returns to the race he won last season and while he hasn’t raced that much since he was a good fourth behind Marketplace in a hot race last Friday,…

By Michael Guerin After the dizzying heights of being a Group 1 player for the last month it is back to reality for young driving star Harry Orange at Alexandra Park tonight. But it is not a bad reality for a young horseman. Orange won his first Group 1 at the carnival that ended last week with Higher Power in the Anzac Cup and was driving in plenty of the big races. But what mattered to him almost as much was getting consistently big books at the major meetings. “I…

By Mike Love  Trainers Peter and Mitchell Robertson have made a late charge into the $40,000 Canterbury Plains Final at Addington this Friday night after their pacer Interrorgator took out the final heat of the series at Ashburton on Sunday.  “It’s a great stake. These sorts of horses don’t often get the opportunity to race for this sort of money, so it’s good to have a grand final for these types of horses,” so co-trainer Mitch Robertson.  Interrorgator, with Tim Williams, who will also drive the five-year-old Terror To Love…

By Michael Guerin Punters are facing some challenges working out the stacked Uncut Gems at Addington on Friday. The focus of harness racing returns south this week with a deep Addington meeting highlighted by last-start Northern Derby winner Jumal in the $50,000 Garrards’ Sires’ Stakes Semi Final. He faces starting from the outside of the front line in a strong field but he has still opened a $1.28 favourite as he uses the 1980m mobile as his prep run for next week’s Final. But not quite so easy to work…

By Mike Love  Time For Victory headlines Olivia Thornley’s solid book of five drives at today’s Ashburton meeting.  The Michael Ward-trained five-year-old is coming in fourth up this campaign and seems to be building nicely for a maiden victory after a few placings and close-up finishes.   He’s currently a $2.30 favourite in Race 2, The Trudgeon Painters Trot (12.10pm), over 2400m. “He was lacking confidence last preparation, and this time in we’ve been gaining confidence,” said Thornley. “With his good manners he should be close to winning in a…