Category: Meeting Previews

By Jonny Turner Julie Jaccka can book her ticket to the big stage if she can continue her brilliant form at Winton on Thursday. The Brett Gray-trained trotter and junior driver Dan Anderson will be out to complete a hat-trick of wins after winning their last two starts together at Central Southland Raceway. Julie Jaccka went back-to-back at Winton before going on to run a solid fourth on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park last month. The Gray stable now has Addington in its sights if their consistent trotter can produce…

By Jordyn Bublitz It was a great night at the office for trainer-driver Andre Poutama at Cambridge yesterday,  with the promise of more to come at Auckland on Friday night. The northern reinsman won three on the bounce last night, starting in race 5, the Off the Track Food and Bev Mobile Pace when he led all the way with his own runner Desert Dawn to win by a commanding three lengths. “He’s been going good he’s just had bad draws, I put the blinds on him because he drew…

A new 2YO pacing Colts and Geldings race has been added to Addington’s meeting on Friday, May 16. The addition has been made after the 2YO race scheduled for this Friday (May 9) was abandoned. The May 16 race will provide an opportunities for the two-year-old males to race before the Group 1 Welcome Stakes on Addington’s Premier night on May 23. It will be run over 1980m (with PBD winning stakes using the track grid), and a stake of $17,000.

HRNZ has extended the grace period for ownership transfers of yearlings purchased at the 2025 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales. Buyers now have until 5pm on Friday, May 9 2025 to submit their initial transfer of ownership free of charge. Initially the cut-off date was Friday, May 2. After May 9, the normal $85 fee will apply. Even if ownership hasn’t been finalised, a transfer must still be submitted. You’re encouraged to list the nominated purchaser from sale day if final details are pending. The transfer form, along with a…

The National Racing Bureau now has its own dedicated email and phone accounts.  The hotline is 0508 BUREAU  = 0508 287328 and the email is : bureau@hrnz.co.nz The bureau has been in operation since Monday, April 7. It is a centralised system overseen by HRNZ that streamlines the nomination, acceptance and field release process for the sport across the whole county.  Trainers should nominate and manage drivers via the HRNZ Website or app. 

After a brief break, the highly-popular Metro Trotting and Pacing Series is back. The first heats of the latest series, worth $20,000, will be held for both gaits as part of the Magness Benrow and IRT Sires’ Stakes Finals night at Alexandra Park on Friday night. A second round of heats will be held on May 23. The series is for horses rated up to and including R54 and/or horses with up to two lifetime wins. Heat wins will be penalty free with the first four home in each automatically…

By Jordyn Bublitz For a $2,800 purchase Les White is pretty chuffed with how well his mate Bettor Reaction has been performing as of late, and the Auckland Reactor gelding could well add to his earnings at Cambridge today. ‘Jack’ ,as he is known by,  was purchased off Gavelhouse last June by White and put on an eye-catching performance fresh up in December to win at Alexandra Park on a 57.3 half by a commanding 5 ¾ length margin. “It was just so unexpected, he’s so laid back and he…