By Mike Love The New Zealand Amateur Drivers championship will conclude today at Addington raceway with two final heats. Currently there are three leaders in the series locked up on seven points in Bruce Hadley, Cheree Wigg and Frank Phelan, while each driver has a mathematical chance to take out the series with only seven points separating all of the drivers. At the opposite end of the table on zero points is Craig Sharpe. However, Sharpe will drive the two warm favourites – the Matt Purvis trained Almighty Clever in…
Category: Punting
Big Friday night for Williamsons at Addington
By Jonny Turner Yet again it has been proven that a horse with ability and Phil Williamson’s masterful hand are a potent combination. In the depths of winter while most star three-year-old trotters are off the scene, Tarragindi is taking huge strides towards his big spring targets. The trotter cleared out for an emphatic win for driver Nathan Williamson, on a big Friday night at Addington for his father Phil, who later produced Becky’s Girl for an effortless debut victory for driver Brad Williamson. Tarragindi showed all sorts of ability…
Hackett ok after Alexandra Park heroics
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Top junior driver Crystal Hackett is nursing a few bumps and bruises but is otherwise ok after an eventful and scary time at Alexandra Park last night. She had just won Race 8 with debutant Buddy Guy at the park and was returning to the stabling area when the two-year-old got spooked. Hackett was tipped from the sulky and got dragged along the infield. “It was a good distance and it was at a good clip,” Hackett says, “it certainly felt…
NZ Amateur Drivers championships set for big finale
The New Zealand Amateurs Drivers championships looks set for a big finish at Addington tomorrow (Sunday). The Raceway will host the final two heats of the four-race series, with Bruce Hadley, Cheree Wigg and Frank Phelan all tied on seven points, one ahead of Alan Edge, and Michael House and John Kriechbaumer on five. Wigg won last night’s heat at Addington thanks to a determined finish by the Matt Purvis-trained Almighty Clever in the IRT.Your Horse. Our Passion Mobile Pace. Almighty Clever will back up at the Raceway tomorrow as…
Harrison drives first winner for “new” boss
By Jordyn Bublitz Driving a winner at Cambridge Raceway last night was a “first” for junior driver Alicia Harrison. She drove For Always Arden to take out the Ferguson Racing Thanks Owners and Clients Mobile Pace and while it was her third win since returning to racing after being out of commission for a year due to shoulder surgery it was her first for her “new” boss Tony Herlihy since joining his stables in April. “I was looking for a change, and the chance to work for Tony came…
Northview Ocean “jogs” to maiden victory at Invercargill
By Jonny Turner Northview Ocean completed an epic journey to the winner’s circle at Ascot Park on Thursday. The win may have seemed like a routine victory for the mare, who justified her strong backing when scoring for trainer Tyler Dewe, driver Mark Hurrell, and breeder-owner Cleland Murdoch. But over the past year, Northview Ocean’s chances of even making it to the races looked bleak at times. After making a strong start to her career, the pacer was found to have a cracked pelvis bone, with her condition quickly deteriorating.…
Weanling sale success stories
Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column. by Brittany Graham With less than two weeks until the annual NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale, it seemed the perfect opportunity to reflect on some of the more ‘shrewd’ purchases out of that sale ring. This year’s event will be run alongside the thoroughbred sale, which opens the opportunities to an even wider audience…
Classy Kiwi presence in Brisbane this weekend
By Adam Hamilton It is a big weekend for the Kiwis when the Brisbane Winter Carnival steps up a notch at Albion Park on Saturday night. Leading the way is Team Purdon’s star veteran trotter Oscar Bonavena, who faces a fascinating clash with the enigmatic but gifted Gus in Tony Veivers Memorial Trot (race four) over the mobile 2138m. Oscar Bonavena, who looked sharp winning and Albion Park trial last Friday, will be driven by Adam Sanderson and has eased from $1.40 to $1.80. Gus has been backed from $5.50…
American Me well-favoured to make winning return at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin It may be 14 months since American Me last won a race but it was the quality of that victory that suggest he is the horse to beat in the main race at Alexandra Park tonight. The Ashburton pacer returns to the north and trainers Brent and Tim White appear to have found the ideal race in the $20,000 Classique Landscapers Pace (6.22pm). He is on a 25m handicap but only has four rivals in front of him, of which two share a 10m handicap, so being…
Mate against mate in feature pace at Addington tonight
By Jonny Turner Friends will become foes at Addington on Friday night. Regan Todd and Craig Ferguson have enjoyed success together that many can only dream of over the past 12 months. But this time, the two horsemen will go head-to-head in Friday night’s feature pace with Betterthancash and Da Vinci in Race 5, the Breckon farms Lot 1081 NZB Weanling Sale handicap pace (6.12pm). . Betterthancash returns to the track for the first time since his outstanding win in a hectic running of the New Zealand Country Championship. With…