Category: Meeting Previews

Chapmans ready themselves for their “Cup day”

NZHarnessNews

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

NZHarnessNews

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

NZHarnessNews

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…

McIlwrick warming up for Blue September at Winton on Sunday

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  The warm up starts for Rory McIlwrick at Winton on Sunday. The reinsman will be working to raise money throughout next month as an ambassador for harness racing’s Blue September campaign, which raises money for prostate cancer research. McIlwrick can go into his mission in good form judging by his book of drives at Winton. “I hope some of these horses don’t peak too early,” the reinsman quipped. “It is great to be raising money for a good cause, hopefully we can get some good results on…

Super consistent mare gets Winter Reward

NZHarnessNews

By Jordyn Bublitz It was appropriate that Jay Abernethy’s ever reliable trotter Eagle Hanover got her Winter Reward at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night. “She’s an EFTPOS machine – she gets a cheque every week,” Abernethy told Track Chat’s Jo Ferguson post race. The five-year-old mare was three back the fence early in the first of the night’s four $20,000 Winter Rewards races before Abernethy went to the parked position and then surged to the lead at the 400, winning by two lengths. Eagle Hanover hasn’t finished worse than fifth…

Are the Aussie stars good or bad for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup?

NZHarnessNews

With nominations for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup closing yesterday it was confirmed that Aussie superstars Leap To Fame and two-time champion Swayzee are heading to Addington for their $1m showdown on Tuesday, November 11. Trackside presenter Brittany Graham has seen the dynamic duo in action plenty of times – so what does the now Kiwi-based Aussie make of it all? By Brittany Graham Larry and Lenny are New Zealand-bound once more – and it’s game on for all. Leap To Fame and Swayzee have dominated the Grand Circuit…

Duane Ranger’s prostate cancer diagnosis – “men over 45 must get checked”

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  With the New Zealand Prostate Cancer’s Blue September campaign just days away, a well-known harness racing figure is urging men 45 and over to get checked. Queensland-based Kiwi racing journalist Duane Ranger was diagnosed with the disease earlier this year and will undergo surgery in September to have his prostate removed. The 61-year-old got the news after a routine visit to his GP. “It was a bit of the spur of the moment thing,” says Ranger, “I was getting my flu vaccine and…

Vinny the “banana lover” takes home the top prize

NZHarnessNews

The winners have been decided for the first HRNZ/ESNZ competition for standardbreds. Run by Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) and Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ), the competition is all about recognising and rewarding the achievements of standardbreds competing in ESNZ disciplines. Points were accrued every time a standardbred, registered with ESNZ, competed between August 1 2024 and May 31, 2025. Results could be from Show Jumping and Show Hunter, Eventing, Endurance and Competitive Trail Riding, or Dressage and Para Dressage or a combination, with points allocated to the horse, not…

New fixed odds feature on website

NZHarnessNews

A new fixed odds feature is proving popular on hrnz.co.nz Displayed in the “Fields” section of the website, the odds are posted alongside the horse, driver and trainer information. Anyone clicking on a runner’s price will then be directed to the TAB website or app, and to the race in question. The odds go up on hrnz.co.nz as soon as the TAB has framed their market for the meeting, with the updates getting more regular the closer it gets to race time. “Harness racing is a wagering-driven sport, and punters…

Lady Of The Light vs Mantra Blue at Alexandra Park tonight

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin One of the great strengths of New Zealand’s best ever standardbred stallion Bettors Delight could also be a reason Lady Of the Light gets beaten at Alexandra Park tonight. Lady Of The Light opened favourite for tonight’s $20,000 Thank You To The ATC Stewards Pace (8.08pm), in which she faces a 20m handicap over 2200m. Overcoming that alone is no easy feat but adding to her factor of difficulty is Lady Of The Light being fresh up tonight since January and having only had two workouts. “There…