By Jonny Turner Tim Williams will be doing everything he can to hold an early advantage with his best chances on Winton Cup Day. Williams will combine with a powerful line-up of drives, including key All Lay Carpet & Drapes Winton Cup runner Double Jeopardy and Seaside Rose, a major player in the Vetsouth Equine Southern Belle Final. Both will wear the number one saddlecloth and both will carry plenty of punter support. And if they are going to justify that faith, Williams knows making the best possible beginning will…
Category: Punting
Oaks and Derby Prelude night at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin Outstanding pacing filly Beside Me’s winning chances at Alexandra Park tonight have been given two mini boosts by the withdrawal of just one rival. The big Canterbury filly is the warm favourite for the Pascoes The Jewellers Northern Oaks Prelude on a night when the three-year-olds take centre stage for a rare Thursday night meeting at The Park, the date change coming as there is no domestic racing on Good Friday or Easter Sunday. Tonight’s meeting sees Marketplace red hot to win the prelude to next Friday’s…
Jonny Cox with key chances on Winton’s big day
By Jonny Turner It’s not just the advantage of horsepower Jonny Cox hopes to have on his side when he pulls on the powerful Purdon colours at Winton on Thursday. Cox will head to his hometown’s bumper cup meeting amid a whirlwind month in which he’s already tasted Group race success. The reinsman will link up with the Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained Secret Wish, who was downed by stablemate Alecto, whom Cox drove to win the recent Group 3 Leonard Memorial at Addington. While Secret Wish was firmly in Cox’s…
Mark Chittick the latest of the “cross coders”
By Michael Guerin One of New Zealand’s most famous sets of racing colours could be coming to a harness racing track near you next season. But first Waikato Stud owner Mark Chittick will have to get a bigger set made. (Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell) Chittick, the man who owns the giant thoroughbred breeding operation, has bought his first harness horse, outlaying $50,000 for a Tactical Landing filly out of Queen Bea, an unraced sister to Queen Elida. And he wants it wearing his famous colours, the same ones his…
Chase A Dream is Aussie-bound
By Michael Guerin Chase A Dream is not only back but Queensland-bound. The big improver of the last month, winning the Flying Mile at Cambridge before chasing Leap To Fame home in the Race By Betcha, has accepted an invitation to the Rising Sun at Albion Park in July 5. Co-trainer Mark Purdon hopes that four-year-old can win the A$300,000 Rising Sun to springboard himself into the A$1million Inter Dominion Final two weeks later without needing to contest any of the Inter Dom heats. If Chase A Dream, or any…
Lifestyle change prompts property sale
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk A eight hectare property in harness racing heartland is currently on the market. Located in Canterbury, between Rolleston and West Melton, the property featuring an oval training track will go to auction in early May. For “coming up four years” it’s been home for dual code trainer Jackie Burrows and her family. “It’s a niche property .. but it has so much potential,” she says. The property, on Newtons Road, includes a four bedroom house, two cottages, bar room with guest…
Plan B in case Motukarara meeting is rained off
A back-up plan has been agreed to if bad weather means Monday’s meeting on the grass at Motukarara cannot be held. If the track is deemed unsuitable then the meeting will move to Addington. The forecast for Easter in Canterbury is for showers on Thursday and intermittent rain continuing through to Sunday. “Our intention is to race at Motukarara and we are committed to that but we have come up with a contingency plan to ensure the meeting goes ahead even if the Mot is deemed unsuitable,” says Harness Racing…
Poutama heads to Cambridge with “big team”
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Pukekohe-based trainer Andre Poutama is hopeful he’s got a couple of decent prospects at Cambridge today. He’ll drive three of his own – Light O Love (R1), St John Eight (R4) and Desert Dawn (R7) – as well as Emily Bay for trainer Ival Brownlee (R6). “That’s a big team for me,” laughs Poutama, “and there are some good top three or each way chances there.” He opens his day with last start winner Light O Love in Race 1, the Off…
Two double-headers in busy harness racing week
A harness racing week, complete will two double-headers, gets underway today with action at Cambridge and Addington. They will be followed by Winton and Auckland on Thursday. Today’s seven-race meeting at Cambridge starts at 4.24pm, with the first of Addington’s eight races at 4.14pm. Addington’s meeting features Heat 2 of the Canterbury Plains Challenge Series for the 5YO and older R35-39 Pacers at 7.37pm. The series, now in its second year, will have 10 heats in all before the $30,000 Final at Addington on May 16. To be eligible to…
Top-class action set to light up the Southern Region
The Southern Region is set to deliver two outstanding days of top-class harness racing this April, with Winton and Invercargill each hosting feature race days. Winton Cup Day — Thursday, 17 April, Central Southland Raceway The Winton Harness Racing Club’s signature meeting returns, headlined by the Group 2 Entain 2YO Fillies Mobile Pace, a $70,000 race. This year the club is delighted to welcome All Lay Carpets & Drapes on board as new sponsors of the Winton Cup. The day’s action-packed programme features: · The Group 2 Entain 2YO Fillies…