By Michael Guerin Merlin’s horror run of draws continued in the $100,000 Dawson Harford Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The Race by betcha third placegetter is the biggest name backing up from the $1million slot race in this Friday’s mile but has copped the outside of the front line. That comes after he drew wide in the big race last Friday and the second line in the Flying Mile at Cambridge the week before. He even drew wide in the free-for-all he was entered for, but didn’t…
Category: Meeting Previews
Butcher’s horses on the back up at Manawatu
By Brigette Solomon Benjamin Butcher is looking forward to today’s Manawatu meeting where his two runners back up after a successful day on Sunday. I Can Too scored his maiden victory, in the Wendy Devenport Stables Mobile Pace, with father David Butcher driving while Benjamin was third with and Hearts N Aces just a length behind. “They both went good on Sunday, it was their first time away and they handled it well and did everything right in the race,” said Butcher, “I thought Hearts N Aces might have finished…
HRNZ’s new Infrastructure Grant Scheme
Applications are now open for a new scheme to help harness racing clubs around the country with small to medium-sized projects. Funded by Harness Racing New Zealand, the Infrastructure Grant Scheme has $250,000 per annum to allocate to projects that improve racing and training venues. The maximum grant per project is $50,000, with each successful club required to contribute 50 per cent to the project’s cost as well. To find out more click here For Terms and Conditions and Application Form click here
Hanrahan double one of many highlights at Addington
By Mike Love Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan scored a “special” double at Cheviot’s meeting at Addington yesterday. Maiden winner Bautista was too strong in the GH Building LTD pace over 2000m with driver Ricky May. May and Bautista began quickly from their outside draw to end up parked for the first section of the race. Cover came with favourite Whatz My Choice, who softened up the leader, setting it up for May and Bautista to pounce. Sustaining a run from the 400m to grind away and win, beating a very…
Addington and Manawatu in Sunday double-header
After all the hype and highlights at Friday’s Night of Champions at Cambridge, harness racing returns today with a Sunday double header. The Cheviot Cup and a Group 3 for the two-year-old fillies highlights action at Addington while later in the day there’s a six race meeting at Manawatu, starting at 3.16pm. Big open field for Cheviot Cup By Mike Love With a history dating back to 1946, this year’s Cheviot Business Cheviot Cup Handicap Pace (4.02pm) has attracted a big field and plenty of chances. The two most heavily-supported…
Night of Champions – an Australian perspective
By Adam Hamilton It was only fitting Leap To Fame headlined an Aussie dominance of Cambridge’s Night of Champions. The Queensland champion had already earned comparisons with the all-time greats of Australasian pacing and only fuelled them further with a spellbinding and almost unbelievable win. What a way to make your first splash in New Zealand. Throw in another Aussie trifecta in the TAB Trot – the second time in its two-year history – and it was one of the proudest nights for Australians in NZ. There was so much…
Chilcott “really proud” to get to 700 wins
By Barry Lichter “On the night of champions, Nicky Chilcott, one of the champions of the raceway, gets her 700th driving success – what a way to finish off a crazy night …” Cambridge racecaller Aaron White was the first of many to congratulate Chilcott after her milestone win in the final race when she reined home Crazy, the rank outsider of the field. And how appropriate that Chilcott, 53, could become only the second woman to reach the mark on a horse who had confounded the best of drivers…
Mowbray’s aptly-named winner at Addington
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Unplaced in her four previous starts, Impressive Shard burst into the winner’s circle at Addington last night for Leeston trainer Brad Mowbray. “That was a very impressive run, she’s aptly-named,” Mowbray told Harness Racing Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong post race. “She’s quite a smart horse.” Impressive Shard was the $46 outsider in last night’s race. Starting from the outside of the mobile in the Betavet Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace Matthew Williamson took the Captain Crunch three-year-old back to last early. They then trucked…
Leap To Fame smashes record in epic win in $1m Race by betcha
By Michael Guerin It was worth the wait. It may have taken Leap To Fame a little longer to get to New Zealand than harness racing fans would have liked but it took him a lot less time to get around Cambridge than his rivals would have liked in Friday night’s Race by Betcha. The magnificent Queensland pacer was supposed to make his New Zealand debut in the New Zealand Cup back in November but missed that iconic race with a blood complaint. He came to Cambridge on Friday night…
Champion prevails on Cambridge’s big night
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The legend of “Larry” went next level in tonight’s $1m The Race by betcha at Cambridge’s Night of Champions. Leap To Fame, affectionately known as Larry, had to go three wide and then sit parked before overwhelming arch rival Don Hugo in a new track record. Trainer Grant Dixon wouldn’t let Don Hugo out of his sight and the pair went to war with 600 to go. Despite getting a tough trip Leap To Fame was too tough when it mattered. It was…