The first rankings are out for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot, to be held at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. Nominations for the two Group 1s closed late last month (34 in the New Zealand Cup and 41 for the Dominion). In the $1m New Zealand Cup Swayzee, as defending champion, 2024 Auckland Cup winner Republican Party, Inter Dominion champion Leap To Fame and 2025 Maurice Holmes Vase winner Mo’unga have automatically qualified and fill the top four places. Of the other top Kiwi chances,…
Category: Meeting Previews
Provincial rivalry to feature at Wyndham today
By Jonny Turner Phase one of Canterbury’s raid on Southland starts on Thursday. Ranfurly Shield fever has hit the Deep South after the Stags snatched the old log of wood from Waikato last weekend. Southland’s first defence comes up on Saturday in what should be another epic battle with Canterbury. Before then, Southland’s harness racing talent will be out to repel a Canterbury attack in the trotting game. Several key runners will be crossing the Otago border to head to Wyndham on Thursday, including a likely pairing from Stonewall Stud.…
Wilkins taking winning feeling to Cambridge tonight
By Jordyn Bublitz Fresh from her first ever New Zealand driving win at Alexandra Park last Friday, Brooke Wilkins is aiming for more success at Cambridge tonight. The Australian-born links up with the Ival Brownlee-trained Emily Bay in Race 4, the IRT.Your Horse.Our Passion .Mobile Trot (6.52pm). “She’s a really consistent little trotter, and she always trots which is her biggest asset,” Wilkins says, “she’s got a good draw and it’s a pretty even race, so hopefully if we find a handy spot, we’ll be thereabouts.” A four race winner,…
US Captain now on duty at Wai Eyre Farm
The latest stallion addition at Wai Eyre Farm in North Canterbury has arrived – and already he’s making his presence felt around the place. With world champions on both sides of his pedigree, US Captain was a 22-race winner in North America, pacing 16 sub-1:50 miles. He is by Captaintreacherous out of American Jewel. Captaintreacherous is Somebeachsomewhere’s greatest performing son on the track and as a stallion while American Jewel is the highest earning mare sired by American Ideal. She was a world champion at 2 and 3, winning four…
October 1 deadline looms for Next Gen scheme
There is less than a month to go before owners, trainers and syndicators have to meet key eligibility criteria for the Next Gen bonus scheme. By October 1, 2025 Harness Racing New Zealand must be notified of the trainer details and the ownership group for any horse bought at the 2025 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales. They will be 2YOs as of January 1, 2026. “The deadline is fast approaching, and we’re urging all owners, trainers, and syndicators to act now. Next Gen is about creating new opportunities and strengthening the…
Spring racing just days away at Addington
By Michael Guerin Tim Williams knows things are about to step up a notch. And while the in-form Canterbury horseman knows he has the horsepower to keep being a factor at Addington on Friday nights he knows the winners which flowed so steadily over the winter will be more hard fought from now on. “Things are getting really competitive,” says Williams, the No.1 southern driver for Team Telfer. “You look how strong the trials are on Wednesday then the fields at Addington this Friday and everything is going up a…
Swayzee facing tough race first up
By Adam Hamilton Dual IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Swayzee will face a serious first-up challenge in the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile at Menangle (Sydney) next Saturday night. Sure he’s the best horse in the race, but the seven-year-old is first-up since April, not as well suited to sprinting as he is staying and faces some fit and firing rivals. Swayzee, who looked sharp winning a Menangle mile trial in 1min49.9sec last Wednesday, hasn’t started since finishing fourth in the Group 1 Nullarbor at Gloucester Park on…
Chapmans ready themselves for their “Cup day”
As the Harness 5000 draws ever closer HRNZ has come up with a thermometer-type tracker showing how many horses have become eligible for the new series. The Harness 5000 Progress Tracker will be updated every week as more and more horses qualify for the 12 $60,000 finals at Ashburton on December 21. It’s anticipated around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate. As of today 83 horses are eligible, an increase of 14 on the same time last week. The biggest category so…
Ambassadors “going blue” in September
Harness Racing New Zealand’s Blue September campaign is officially underway after a bone-chilling start in Mid Canterbury today. The “Into The Blue” launch saw nine ambassadors plunge into the cold pools at the Opuke Thermal Pools and Spa at Methven. All had to go completely under. With the water at around 8-10 degrees it’s fair to say for some it was the quickest of dips. In the individual battle to see who could last longest Rory McIlwrick was a clear winner. He lasted three minutes. This the fifth year of…
Final Canterbury winter meeting at Ashburton
By Mike Love Ashburton will host the final Canterbury winter meeting today, dubbed the “Goodbye Winter Racing – Hello Spring Racing” race day. Locals could well be to the fore throughout the day, especially trainer/driver John Morrison. He has a book of seven drives today, three of which look likely to start favourite. In Race 1, the Chertsey Trotting Club Pace over 2400m, Morrison trains and drives the opening favourite of the day, debutant Jesse Owens ($2.50FF). The four-year-old Bettors Delight gelding qualified over a year ago when trained by…