By Michael Guerin New Zealand harness racing’s newly-crowned owner of the year Dean Shannon liked what he saw at Alexandra Park on Friday night. In fact, Shannon has been liking lots of things he has seen in New Zealand harness racing over the last six months. Shannon is these days best known as the boss of Entain Australia, which runs the TAB, but way before that he was Mr Montana, a consistently successful owner and big investor in bloodstock here. He got to enjoy that thrill again with his latest…
Category: Punting
Dexter Dunn “jumped at the chance” to be part of the Ultimate Driver Challenge
By Adam Hamilton Dexter Dunn can’t think of a better way to round out his extended two-month stint Down Under. Dunn, who flew from the US back to New Zealand on December 20, is now in Queensland to compete in the innovative and inaugural Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Challenge. The 20-race series will be run across two nights on Friday and Saturday (Feb 21 and 22) at Albion Park. Dunn is one of four internationals in the 10-driver series, joining his great Kiwi mate Carter Dalgety, Yannick Gingras (USA) and Bjorn…
It’s Friday Night Lights at Addington and Alexandra Park
It’s Friday night and that means dual racing under the lights at Addington and Alexandra Park. The return of Wag Star will create a lot of interest in the south while Greased Lightnin aims for a third win in just five career starts at Alexandra Park. Wag Star favoured for winning resumption at Addington By Michael Guerin Wag Star is ready to start making up for his lost summer at Addington tonight. But exactly what his campaign looks like heading forward could be decided by his performance in tonight’s feature…
Don’t Stop Dreaming and Swayzee all the rage across the Tasman tonight
by Adam Hamilton Tonight’s Terang Cup may seem a left-field option for star Kiwi pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming, but not when you take a glance at the race’s Honour Roll. One of the greatest pacer’s the sport has seen, Blacks A Fake, is the biggest name on the list. Trainer-driver Natalie Rasmussen used the 2006 Terang Cup win to launch Blacks A Fake towards the first of his four Inter Dominion wins, in Hobart just weeks later. Just days after winning the 2015 Hunter Cup, Kerryn Manning took Arden Rooney…
Harness racing heading to Taupo – “we need to engage with new people”
Harness racing is heading into new territory next year, with the first ever meeting at Taupo on January 26, 2026. “We are all about growing our sport and Taupo as a hugely popular summer destination fits the bill perfectly,” says Harness Racing New Zealand’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. “We are very keen to engage with new people and we know that there is a real demand for more grass track racing in the North Island.” Peden believes the new initiative will be well supported by trainers, drivers and…
Orange, Ottley and Dalgety make Rural Sports Awards finals
Harness racing will be represented by three finalists at the 2025 Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards in Palmerston North on Friday, March 7. The country’s top driver Blair Orange has made the cut for the PTS Logistics New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year, the record-breaking Sam Ottley is a finalist for the RX Plastics New Zealand Rural Sportswoman of the Year and Next Gen driver Carter Dalgety is a finalist for Fonterra Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year. Orange secured his seventh consecutive Drivers’ Premiership with…
Two heats left before Seddon Shields Final
There are just two heats left before it’s determined who will make the $30,000 Seddon Shields Trotting Championships Final at Addington on March 21. The series, targeting R51-70 trotters, kicked off at Kaikoura last November and so far there have been eight heats around the top half of the South Island. The last two heats were at Blenheim in mid January. The final two heats will be at Westport on March 7 and then at Reefton two days later. A capacity field of 16 trotters will make the final. To…
What You Need To Know about the 2025 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk A total of around 340 yearlings will go under the hammer at the 2025 National Standardbred Yearling Sales. The sales kick off with 130 yearlings being offered at Karaka in Auckland this Saturday, February 15 followed by a further 213 in Christchurch, three days later on Tuesday, February 18. “We are very happy,” says NZB Standardbred Manager Cam Bray, “the yearlings have presented in a very forward condition.” Over the two days, numbers-wise Downbytheseaside will be represented by the most yearlings. He…
The Box Seat – February 12
Check out this week’s The Box Seat with Matt Cross and Greg O’Connor
Scan means further delays for Sarah O’Reilly
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk One of the country’s top drivers Sarah O’Reilly has been dealt some more bad news. Out of action since a trackwork accident at Ashburton Raceway last July, the Mid Canterbury-based driver has been told this week that she requires an operation on her arm and will be months away from resuming race day driving. “I got the result from the CT scan and it has not healed properly and they are going to put a plate into the arm,” O’Reilly says. It had…