Category: Meeting Previews

By Brigette Solomon  A victory in the last race at Manawatu yesterday brought up significant milestones for both horse and driver. It was Wilson House’s 100th driving win, and Santanna Mach’s 20th. The victory was the 20-year-old House’s fourth of the day, also rounding out a training treble for his father, Canterbury-based trainer Michael House. “It was a good day and nice to get that win on Santanna Mach,” says House, “he’s a pretty cool old horse, I’ve had four wins on him now so he’s been pretty good to…

A $20,000 bonus will be up for grabs when the first ever Group 1 The Christian Cullen is held at Addington Raceway on Friday, December 6. The $200,000 race for the 4YO pacers is a new addition to a jam-packed programme that also includes the Group 1 $300,000 Garrards New Zealand Pacing Derby and the Group 1 $200,000 NZ Trotting Derby.   The bonus for The Christian Cullen will be paid to the first horse past the post who isn’t a previous Group 1 winner. The payment will be split,…

By Jonny Turner  Mark Hurrell heads to Invercargill armed and ready to make the most of his chances. With several catch drives, the reinsman has a big book of drives filled with winning chances.  Hurrell had several options to choose from when asked to rate his best winning hope but he eventually settled on one of those catch drives in the Kirstin Green-trained Bubble Me in Race 1, The American Ideal ‘The Legacy Lives on Forever’ Mobile Pace (3.52pm). “I thought her last run was pretty good, she copped a…

By Michael Guerin After a spring where little has gone right trainer Jeremy Young is hoping Lady Of The Light has a better summer. And it wouldn’t mind it starting a couple of weeks early at Alexandra Park tonight in Race 6, the Bird and Barrow Flying Mobile Pace (8.30pm). If Young and his owners had got their way Lady Of The Light could have been at Addington last week in our greatest race of them all, the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. She was a ballot and only just…

Motukarara Trotting Association Incorporated AGM – Mot Workouts  The AGM will be held at 6.30pm on Monday, 25 November 2024 at the Motukarara Raceway. All current and prospective members are welcome. Over the last few years, we have been faced with many challenges such as lockdowns, weather events etc but we are still standing! We want to invite all  local owners and trainers to join our organisation and provide their input into how we can build the workouts bigger and better. The more ideas, the better. Currently membership only costs…

Check out this week’s The Box Seat with Matt Cross and Greg O’Connor      

By Brigette Solomon  After combining with local trainer Stephen Doody for four second placings on day one at Manawatu, junior driver Crystal Hackett looks well placed to go one better on several runners tonight. “It was pretty frustrating for both me and Stephen running four seconds on Tuesday, but they all raced well and some should have improved off those runs,” says Hackett. All but one of Hackett’s drives tonight are for Doody, and she starts the evening with Mr Monty in Race 1, the Happy Birthday Brian Gemell Handicap…

What was worth noting from all over the country for the week ending 21/11/2024 Seaclusion (4m Sweet Lou – Classy Beach) Tr. G Rogerson Pukekohe (14/11/24) Stepped to the front and set terms over two rivals, sprinted a sharp 400m to keep Invisible (trail) at bay Last 800m in 59.8, 400m in 27.0. Freshened since disappointing last start late October, a race won co-incidentally by Invisible although she did beat the Purdon/Phelan runner the start prior. Neither horse extended in the run home on a sharp sprint home, overall time…