By Michael Guerin Outstanding young driver Crystal Hackett could start the next phase of her career on a high at Alexandra Park tonight. The Group 1-winning driver has moved employers after nearly five years working for Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan during which time she drove 168 winners in New Zealand and has been the leading junior driver in the North Island three times before finishing second on that table to Harrison Orange last year. She also drove Mach Shard to win two Group 1 races and has become a…
Category: Punting
Muscle Mountain eyes up fourth Fred Shaw Memorial at Addington
By Michael Guerin Punters shouldn’t be put off by Muscle Mountain missing the logical lead-up to Friday night’s $100,000 Fred Shaw Memorial NZ Trotting Champs at Addington. Because co-trainer and driver Ben Hope says that was by design and the big fella is exactly where he needs to be for his shot at winning the Group 1 for the fourth time. While many of his rivals clashed in the Lamb And Hayward Classic won by Eurostyle two weeks ago Muscle Mountain was enjoying a night off at home. “We chose…
Blaze’s big chance at Palmy today
By Dave Di Somma, Harness New Desk Hawera trainer Willie Fleming can’t remember the last time he had such a short-priced favourite at the races. At Palmerston North today he lines up well-performed maiden Run Blaze Run in the Manawatu ITM Mobile Pace. After being placed second in his last four starts the Betterthancheddar five-year-old is currently at $1.55 to finally break through. “He’s overdue really isn’t he?” laughs Fleming. “You’d like to think today is the day but racing’s racing and anything can happen.” To be driven by…
Macca Lodge take four to Winton today
By Jonny Turner Macca Lodge could get rewarded for their great support of southern harness racing at Winton on Thursday. The Northern Southland stud and stables will start four horses at Central Southland Raceway three days before they again sponsor the Group 3 Macca Lodge Northern Southland Cup. Co-proprietor Brent McIntyre is rapt with the depth of the Northern Southland Cup field and just about as pleased with his four-strong Winton squad. McIntyre and his stable head Carl Hanna will combine with maiden trotter Raffie Jay in Thursday’s opener. The…
Kyle Cameron with “bit of hope” at Addington today
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Kyle Cameron doesn’t know what to expect at Addington today. The Fernside-based trainer-driver will take two of his own to the races in Style Council (R1) and Special Edition (R5) and also drive Natives Inferno (R2), Prince Teka (R4) and Hez A Loch (R7). “You could easily see a few of them run in three or none of them run in three,” says Cameron, “but at least we’ve got a bit of hope.” In Race 1, the Diamond Racing Lot 54 Shares Available…
Gibbs with dual chances at Manawatu tonight
By Jordyn Bublitz With two runners in the same race, Levin trainer Murray Gibbs is hopeful about his chances at Manawatu tonight. Stablemates Bet On Polly and Genuine Imitation both bring strong form-lines into Race 3, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Supports NI Breeders Mobile Pace (5.49pm). Bet On Polly, a five-year-old daughter of Betting Line, was outstanding at her most recent start at Palmerston North. Sent straight to the lead, she ran her rivals into the ground and dug deep late to score by half a neck in tough fashion. “I…
Nairn’s quartet ready to fire at Ashburton
By Mike Love Leeston trainer Paul Nairn will take four runners to today’s Ashburton meeting. A hot favourite, Waterloo Station will be his headline act in Race 7, the Front Lea Partnership Handicap Trot over 2400m (4:10pm). Driven by Bob Butt, the four-year-old Waterloo Sunset gelding will need to overcome a backmark of 20 metres, but stable representative Stacey Whatuira believes he should do just that. “It’s an ideal race for him. He’s working well too. I think he’d be the one to beat. He likes Ashburton, with the…
Beach Day to start favourite in Cromwell Fruit Bowl
By Jonny Turner Group 1 formlines trump track stats according to the market for today’s Cromwell Fruit Bowl (3.53pm). The top three horses in early betting for the 2600m staying test come into the race from very different angles. Race favourite Beach Day was a respectable fourth in the recent Group 1 New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Stakes at Addington followed across the line by race rival Ultimate Cullect. On Sunday, Beach Day will give a 10m head start to Ultimate Cullect and Hacksaw Ridge, who share a 10m handicap. Hacksaw…
Better Knuckle Up big chance to regain winning form at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin Better Knuckle Up could have a rare experience at Alexandra Park tonight. He might win a race. That might seem a little unfair to point out about a pacer clearly in the top 10 in the country but such are the realities of pacing’s big time. Better Knuckle Up won the first $500,000 Velocity Slot race at Addington in November 2024 and has been a constant open class force since, including a huge fourth in the New Zealand Cup in November when coming from last. But because…
Stumpy Blackler “best” of Stonewall team at Cromwell
By Jonny Turner They’ve made their mark again on the national yearling sales, and now Stonewall Stud will be out to conquer Cromwell. Trainers Steve and Amanda Telfer bring three horses south just a couple of days after their team set a new Australasian record for purchasing a trotting yearling. A filly by star North American stallion Walner from Egee Money was purchased by the powerful stable for $290,000. The blueblood squaregaiter is among 12 yearlings Stonewall Stud bought out of the Christchurch sales ring on Wednesday, following their purchase…