By Michael Guerin While there was no surprise in the quinella in the Holmes D G at Alexandra Park on Friday night it raised a very interesting question. Is winner Sooner The Bettor going better than this time last year or is Merlin going worse? The answer might be a little bit of both. Sooner The Bettor made it three wins on end to start this campaign and earned his golden ticket into the IRT New Zealand Cup when he led, trailed his stablemate then clearly outpointed him in the…
Category: Punting
Masons watch on as colts offered up at Lexington Yearling Sales
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk It’s been an unusual Friday for Auckland-based couple Trent and Kristie Mason. The principals of Mason Bloodstock today watched on-line as the second of their two colts went under the hammer at the Lexington Selected Yearling sales in Kentucky. It is certainly uncommon for breeders based in New Zealand to be represented at the prestigious American sale. Earlier in the week their first colt, Lot 632 Virgin King (Huntsville – Virginontherocks) sold for $US42,000 ($NZ72,000). Today Rodeo Stranger (Tall Dark Stranger –…
Gus hoping for a happy homecoming
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 The connections of New Zealand-bred trotter Gus are hoping a return to his country of birth on the second Tuesday in November will be fruitful. Gus is presently on the fifth line of betting with TAB at $10 for the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot on Cup day at Addington Raceway on…
Merlin looks the one in tonight’s Holmes D G
By Michael Guerin The reason Merlin shouldn’t win tonight’s TAB Holmes D G at Alexandra Park isn’t as powerful as the reasons he should win it. The north’s best pacer faces the curse of the back makers in the Group 3 tonight, a win-and-you-are-in race for the IRT New Zealand Cup on November 11. Horses starting off back marks in major races in recent years have been regularly getting beaten and costing punters plenty, Merlin doing exactly that in the Spring Cup last start against many of those he races…
Beside Me top pick in stacked Sires’ Stakes heat at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin The big girl Beside Me is back at Addington tonight and she is ready to go. She is going to need to be. One of our most talented three-year-old pacing fillies in a very deep yet even crop Beside Me looked like she could be the next big thing with a stunning Caduceus Club Ladyship Stakes win at Alexandra Park in March. Soon after she was odds-on for the Northern Oaks but she was beaten by Arafura in the Oaks and Captains Mistress in a red hot…
Olivia Thornley’s 100 wins – “something I’ve always wanted to do.”
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News desk It’s one target down and two to go for talented junior driver Olivia Thornley. Last night the 25-year-old achieved a major personal milestone with her 100th driving success. Robyns Art came from the one-one to win the Captaintreacherous – The Morning Star Filly Mobile in race 4 at Addington ahead of Lorton Vale in a Michael House-trained quinella. “Getting to 100 wins is something I’ve always wanted to do – it’s one of those milestones you want to tick off,” Thornley says. “It…
Contingency Plan for Methven Races
Harness Racing New Zealand advises that significant rainfall is forecast for Methven over the next 72 hours, including up to 30mm on Saturday, prompting the introduction of a contingency plan for this weekend’s meeting. A track inspection will be conducted at Mt Harding Racecourse, Methven, at 11am on Saturday 4 October. If the track is deemed unsuitable, the meeting will be transferred to Addington Raceway. In that event, race distances will be amended in line with Addington’s approved start points, and Race 8 will be reviewed to meet maximum field…
Vale Trevor Craddock
Trevor Craddock, one of the great characters of West Coast harness racing, will be farewelled at Westport tomorrow (Friday). The 85-year-old is being remembered as someone who “loved his racing and rugby” and had “a great life”. Based at Patterson Park, Craddock had exactly 100 training wins between 1967 and 2014 with 27 successes as a driver. His first driving and training win was with Wheels at Reefton in 1967. Among his best horses were Clifford Jasper (10 wins), Chiola Reb (10 wins), and Brooksdale Pal, Oregon Heights, Jovial Jan…
Look To Da Stars trying to get back on track at Cambridge tonight
By Jordyn Bublitz Confidence is the key for Look To Da Stars at Cambridge Raceway tonight. The four-year-old son of Andover Hall lines up in the NZMCA Parking At Cambridge Raceway Handicap Trot (7.54pm) for Pukekohe trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon, with in-form reinsman Andre Poutama taking the drive. As a three-year-old, he showed flashes of real ability when tested against some of the better trotters in his crop. “He showed us a bit of promise early, but he hasn’t gone on with it like we thought he would,”…
Douglas poised for big day at Wyndham today
By Jonny Turner Hayden Douglas is hoping to make the most of a rare opportunity at Wyndham on Thursday. Douglas combines with Macandrew Aviator, who will make one of the bigger steps back in grade seen in the south in recent times. The veteran pacer comes into his Wyndham assignment after a strong third behind star pacer Akuta in the Group 3 Hannon Memorial. That looks the best kind of form to bring to his rating 55-75 assignment, made even more attractive by the chance to pick up a penalty-free…