Category: Meeting Previews

The Kaikoura Cup through the years

NZHarnessNews

The Kaikoura Cup will celebrate its 100th running this year. Over the next few weeks Kaikoura Trotting Club historian Phil Gourdie will look back at the history of the great race, starting today with The First 50 Years. The Kaikoura Cup – 1914 to 1964. By Phil Gourdie The Kaikoura Cup was first raced for 111 years ago. Since then it has had  a far from uninterrupted run due to World Wars, the depression and the creation of the new track. In 1914, the first running of the Kaikoura Cup…

Update : Addington Wednesday Trials

NZHarnessNews

Following feedback from the industry, and in conjunction with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, we wish to advise that the Wednesday trials at Addington will now be open to: – Horses requiring qualification– Horses needing to pass from a specific start type– Horses that have been stood down to trial by the Stipendiary Stewards. This change provides additional opportunities for connections to trial and qualify their horses midweek. Preference will continue to be given to qualifiers, with trials limited to four heats. Nominations for trials this Wednesday, 15 October,…

Akuta to miss Friday’s Canterbury Classic at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Akuta’s New Zealand Cup campaign has hit a speed bump with the wonderful pacer set to miss this Friday’s Lamb and Hayward Canterbury Classic at Addington. The former Auckland Cup winner has been the comeback story of the spring but was found to have mucus in his throat after failing at Addington last Friday. Co-trainer Nathan Purdon says Akuta will start treatment straight away and with five runs under his belt already this spring and plenty of lead-up options left he can still make the IRT-sponsored Cup…

Kiss The Girls wins action-paced Akaroa Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love  Yaldhurst trainers Derek and Adele Jones continued to have success with their team after Kiss The Girls was a very impressive winner in yesterday’s Cavalier Trotting Products Akaroa Cup at Motukarara. In what were dramatic events before the race got underway – with two false starts and the late scratching of Ted’s Legacy with his trainer and driver Jim Curtin being injured – Kiss The Girls made two fliers from those false starts before scrambling away when it mattered to settle six back on the fence. Driver…

Leap To Fame beaten into second at Melton

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  It was the biggest upset at Melton in decades. Leap To Fame’s stunning defeat last night rekindled memories of the night Courage Under Fire’s unbeaten streak came to an end at Moonee Valley on January 22, 2000. It was just Leap To Fame’s 14th defeat in 71 career starts and his first in his past 10 starts. Things looked good in the run when Grant Dixon was able to quickly work around and take Leap To Fame to the lead. But the first worrying signs came when…

Jake looking to add to excellent grass track record at Motukarara

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   As the in-form Jake heads back to Motukarara on Sunday, owner/breeder Grahame Scurr is hoping his golden run is far from over. The Bettor’s Delight eight-year-old has won two of his last three starts and is gunning for career win number six in the Clubs NZ Race Days January and  February 2026 Pace (Race 7, 3.05pm). “He is just jumping out of his skin,” says Scurr, “he’s absolutely thriving.” Now 74, the retired poultry farmer has been involved in racing for more…

Jumal stuns in Harness Million win at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin At the end of a night of questions at Addington on Friday there was a statement. And the one Jumal made came with an exclamation mark. The Steven Reid-trained juvenile capped a magical night of harness racing with a remarkable performance in the NZBS Harness Million, overcoming a second line draw and having to settle well back to bolt in. He did so after being forced three wide from the 800m and he when he should have flinched Jumal did something else: he produced one of the…

New Zealand Cup still on for two-time winner Swayzee

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Champion Aussie stayer Swayzee remains on target for the IRT NZ Trotting Cup despite being ruled-out of a key lead-up race. Trainer Jason Grimson has confirmed Swayzee would not defend his crown in next Saturday’s $A250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton after a health setback. But he quickly stressed Swayzee would still chase a record-equalling third successive $1m NZ Cup on November 11. Swayzee was a clear $4 second favourite for the Victoria Cup behind his arch-rival and younger half-brother Leap To Fame ($1.35). Leap To…

Mighty Logan heads stable quinella in Worthy Queen

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Mighty Logan is ready to take the next step and it might be at the perfect time. The quirky trotter led home a Diamond Racing-trained quinella in the Worthy Queen Trot at Addington on Friday night, beating stablemate I Dream Of Jeannie and Muscle Mountain in a pressure-filled race. While he made the most of a 10m head start over the hotshot backmarkers by stepping quickly and heading to the lead soon after Mighty Logan was then taken on by One Over All. They ran hard early…

White with training-driving double at Cambridge

NZHarnessNews

By Jordyn Bublitz  Clevedon trainer-driver Matthew White enjoyed a standout night at Cambridge Raceway last night , coming away with two wins and a second from his three runners. He drove all three himself. First out for the night was Forgiveness, who set the tone with a gritty effort to finish second in the Xmas At The Raceway Tickets On Sale Now Handicap Trot. Off a 25m handicap, the mare produced a strong finish to run into the placing and signalled a welcome return to form. “Back left-handed is probably…