By Michael Guerin The “frenemies” will be at it again in the IRT Spring Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night but this time they will have a lot of stablemates for company. Defending champion Sooner The Bettor will have found memories of last season’s Spring Cup as he beat stablemate and constant travelling companion Merlin. This does not happen often. Usually Merlin is too fast for his perfectly-mannered mate, although Menangle is the one place Sooner The Bettor also seems to close the gap. They are back at it…
Category: Punting
Go Jimmy Cassidy qualifies and Jimmy’s rapt
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The legendary Jimmy Cassidy never does things by halves. So when the dual Melbourne Cup-winning jockey decided to get involved in his first standardbred he went all in. “I’ve always wanted one so decided to give it a crack,” Cassidy said from Sydney. Not only did he put his money where his mouth was but agreed to a suggestion by his “great mate” Graeme Rogerson that the colt be called “Go Jimmy Cassidy”. The two-year-old qualified at Cambridge Raceway last week. The…
Week 3 and Blue September’s taking it up a notch
Harness Racing New Zealand’s 2025 Blue September campaign is gearing up for its busiest week so far. The first Big Blue Drive (BBD) will take place all over the country from Thursday through to Sunday. It is all about encouraging people to donate to the cause and raise as much money as possible for prostate cancer research. Thursday will see dual meetings at Winton and Cambridge, with the latter hosting “Blokes’ Night”. Tickets are $70 and include food from the Burger Bistro menu, a drink on arrival and a variety…
Dominion contenders trialling across the Tasman tonight
By Adam Hamilton A key pointer to the Group 1 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot will play out in country Victoria tonight. Pre-post favourite and TAB Trot winner Arcee Phoenix will clash with Brisbane Inter Dominion heat winner and finalist Parisian Artiste in a trial. It will be the second time in the space of six days the pair have clashed at the trials. Parisian Artiste led throughout from a standing-start to beat a softly driven Arcee Phoenix at Melton last Tuesday. And they may even clash again at Menangle when…
Akuta wins second Hannon Memorial in style
By Jonny Turner There was one key difference when Akuta returned to Oamaru to deliver his second crushing win in the Group 3 Placemakers Hannon Memorial title. The comeback pacer left his rivals without an excuse when he sat parked and still proved far too strong in the New Zealand Cup lead-up for trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon. The win was something of a carbon copy of Akuta’s brilliant win in the 2022 Hannon Memorial. Three years ago, Mark Purdon was just as content to sit parked rather than pressed…
Orange upbeat on his chances in the Hannon Memorial
By Jonny Turner Take two showed Blair Orange everything he needed to see ahead of the Group 3 Placemakers Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. After taking out last year’s edition of the Oamaru feature, the leading reinsman is back in 2025, renewing his association with star pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming. Don’t Stop Dreaming starts his march towards the New Zealand Cup on Sunday, having trialled twice for trainers Hayden and Amanda Cullen. The first of those was a quiet outing, but the second gave Orange the feel he wanted.…
Speed machine takes out Metro Trot Heat at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin For the majority of racehorses their problem is not having enough speed. Not Loteria. Her problem is controlling all the speed she has. The rapid going four-year-old recorded her third career win when overcoming an unruly starting position in a Metro Trot heat at Alexandra Park on Friday night and did it in style. She smashed favourite Pretty In Pink after looping the field in the middle stages and racing to a two-and-three-quarter length win looking to have a few gears still left. Loteria is trained by…
Tarragindi and Berrettini take centre stage at Addington
By Michael Guerin Tarragindi is so good trotting trainer Phil Williamson is putting his money where his mouth is. And that means the easy Friday night winner from Addington will be in the $500,000 Ascent at Addington on Show Day. The three-year-old made it four wins in nine starts with a 57.9 second last 800m to bolt away by four lengths on Friday, suggesting he is getting better with every run. He didn’t need that win to convince Williamson and wife Bev, who owns Tarragindi, he deserves a shot at…
Stable quinella with two Donnelly debutants at Cambridge
By Jordyn Bublitz Arna Donnelly’s pair of juveniles announced themselves in style at Cambridge Raceway last night. Two-year-old stablemates Critical Image and Lulana ran the quinella on debut in the Harness Hoedown Tickets On Sale 25th Sept Mobile Pace. Donnelly purchased Critical Image, at the 2024 National Standardbred Yearling Sales. He was given a perfect steer by Zachary Butcher, enjoying a sweet trip in the one-one before pouncing late to score. Lulana, bred by long-time stable client Kevin Madgwick, did it the hard way. With James Stormont in the bike,…
Hannon Memorial Fun Facts
Akuta will emulate two all-time greats if he wins Sunday’s Group 3 Hannon Memorial at Oamaru. The Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained star is a $2.10 favourite to take out the Group 3 feature for a second time. His previous win was in 2022. If Akuta wins this weekend he’ll do what the likes of Blossom Lady and Johnny Globe have done before – and that is win two Hannon Memorials three years apart. Blossom Lady won in 1990 and 1993 (as well as winning the New Zealand Cup in 1992)…