Category: Meeting Previews

By Adam Hamilton  Old pacing marvel Max Delight could add to the powerhouse Aussie raid on this year’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. Trainer David Aiken admits the race is a “bucket lister” and knows Max Delight could be his last chance to have a runner on the second Tuesday in November at Addington. Despite age, nine-year-old Max Delight is racing in career-best form. He equalled his PB with a blistering 1min48.8sec mile win at Menangle on Saturday night. Just a week earlier, he won in 1min48.9sec. Those are his…

By Jonny Turner  Korbyn Newman’s return to the winner’s circle at Oamaru on Sunday was a special moment for his entire family. Captain Cool shrugged off his mid-race work to score a highly impressive first-up win for the trainer, with Tim Williams in the sulky.  The three-year-old is raced by Newman’s uncle Mark and the estate of his late father Greg, who passed away in December of last year. Captain Cool was having his first start since then, and his outstanding victory delivered a moment for the Newman family to…

By Jonny Turner  Bar Louie’s talent isn’t in question as he approaches today’s Kurow Cup. The pacer’s sparkling winter form saw him installed a short-priced favourite for Sunday’s feature at Oamaru (3.14pm). Bar Louie will attempt to make it four-from-four this time in when starting from a 20m handicap for driver Tim Williams. While Williams knows Bar Louie is good enough to continue his unbeaten run in the South Island, he knows the Kurow Cup is a new challenge for the three-year-old. “He has been great this time in, but…

By Michael Guerin Zachary Butcher says there is a simple reason he is taking Mantra Blue to Alexandra Park tonight : he knows what is coming next. Butcher is the north’s leading reinsman these days but also trains a few horses headlined by the fast five-year-old mare who has won half of her 18 starts. Mantra Blue was originally going to trial rather than racing tonight but Butcher knows the Alexandra Park main pacing races are about to get a whole lot stronger and he wants to get out in…

By Michael Guerin Ricky May hopes his fill-in driving proves a bit more productive at Addington tonight. Little Ricky is filling in for Big Johnny (aka John Dunn) while the latter is having a working holiday overseas and that means key drives like Triple G in the main pace, the Georgia Anderson Happy 21st Birthday Mobile Pace (8.36pm) and Better Be Quick in the It’s Time to Book With Woodlands Mobile Pace for the fillies and mares at 7.59pm. While May is stoked to be warming the seat on a…

By Brittany Graham  The harness racing version of the TAB Racing Club will officially get underway tonight (Friday) at Addington Raceway. After purchasing several high-quality yearlings at last year’s sales, Eun Sugno for the Dalgetys will be the first to don the dark blue and red TAB silks on race day. A big son of Captain Crunch out of star race mare One Dream, he has built nicely through some recent trials to make his race day debut a little earlier than anticipated. “Cran was rapt with the fitness improvement…

By Michael Guerin  New Zealand racing and sports punters will get the opportunity to win more off the TAB and Betcha under rule changes coming into play on Thursday. The TAB and its new brand Betcha will boost the limits on what punters will be guaranteed to be allowed to win, providing more clarity for its most successful customers. Bookmakers around the world restrict their more successful punters to how much than can bet to win on fixed odds markets otherwise risk being cleaned out by professional or smart punters…

By Mike Love  Vesta will start the shortest priced favourite on the day at Ashburton today as she tries to break through for her maiden victory. Leeston trainer Megan Swain lines up the A Rocknroll Dance mare in Race 2, the Fulton Hogan Pace over 2400m at 1.05pm. The four-year-old is having her fourth race this campaign and will be driven by Tim Williams. Vesta will start at $1.75FF ahead of equal second favourites Swift Guy and Interrorgator at $5.00FF. Swift Guy will be driven by Leo O’Reilly for trainer…