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Lawrence McCormick has a special liking for the Methven track. Over the past week the Tiwald based horseman has won two races there – last weekend with Vertigo (Peak) and yesterday at the Akaroa meeting with Father Mike (Father Patrick). Three of Father Mike’s four wins have been on the grass – twice at Methven […]
Southland owner Brendan Fahy is on a roll this season and Franco Sinatra’s (Captaintreacherous) win in the Alabar Methven Cup today added to his impressive tally this season. “That Cup he won today is the sixth Cup I’ve won this season,” he said. Franco Sinatra has now won the Wyndham, Hannon and Methven Cups while […]
Aspiring Beauty (Royal Aspirations) gave West Melton trainer Michael Cunningham his first winner since Ares (Pay Me Christian) won at Alexandra Park in July 2015. Handled by Sam Thornley, Aspiring Beauty began well and lead before handing up to Ellagater Al. Turning in, Thornley hooked Aspiring Beauty away from the inside running line and she […]
“It wouldn’t have been hard to bail out and scratch him, but it was well worth it,” said Stephen McNally after driving his 500th winner Harry Belafonte, (A Rocknroll Dance) in the mud at Methven yesterday. McNally settled Harry Belafonte three back on the inside and waited for the passing lane. He then came up […]
Welcome to today’s segment from our harness racing analyst. Providing you with free expert tips and selections for harness meetings run in New Zealand. Harness racing heads to Methven today with 11 races on the card. The racing starts at 11:45am and we highlight some specials and value runners we think can give you a […]
Races don’t come much more poignant than this. On Sunday, on his home track, the so-called “Mayor of Methven” Ricky May will attempt to train his first official winner in a race named after his late father. The inaugural Terry May Memorial is set to go at 1.43pm, with Ricky driving Blu Diamond, a Captain […]
The Drivers’ Challenge looks set to highlight action at today’s Methven meeting at Mt Harding. With four teams of three, each of the invited driver races provide an opportunity for a penalty free win for the winning horse’s connections. Representing the local Methven team are Leo, Gerard and Sarah O’Reilly, who look to have a […]
Welcome to today’s segment from our harness racing analyst. Providing you with free expert tips and selections for harness meetings run in New Zealand. Harness racing hits Methven again today with 11 races on the card. The racing starts at 12:05pm and we highlight some specials and value runners we think can give you a […]
Encouraged by the late Katie Cox and his daughter’s partner Aaron Swain, Murray Alfeld renewed his driving licence this season and got back into the winning groove with Chocolate Angus’s (Royal Aspirations) win at Methven today. Alfeld last held a licence ten years ago and his last winning drive was Sunny Yankee at Banks Peninsula […]
Harness racing’s brand new campaign to encourage race-goers to get on-track is heading to the regions for the first time. After its premieres at Alexandra Park (last December) and Addington (January 2026), Firsties will now make its debut at Sunday’s meeting at Methven. The concept for Firsties at Methven is simple – bring a friend […]
The Robert and Jenna Dunn trained Mighty Logan (Creatine) was given a perfect trip by driver John Dunn and proved to be too good in today’s $25,000 Yabby Dam Farms Trotters Green Mile at Methven. Dunn settled the six year old four back on the inside and coming down the straight he was angling for […]
Esmerelda (Always B Miki) who’s one of the finds of this summer, became the first mare to win the Green Mile for pacers when she impressively took out the Methven Four Square feature at Mount Harding Raceway today. Trainer driver Gerard O’Reilly took Esmeralda straight to the top from barrier five and set a solid […]
Once the rains came at Methven and the grass surface slipped into a heavy rating, the $40,000 Group Three Alabar Methven Cup was going to be a race of survival of the fittest. Understandably all eight runners were driven conservatively. Winning driver Gavin Smith knew going into today’s feature that his charge Rakero Rocket (Rock […]
Welcome to today’s segment from our harness racing analyst. Providing you with free expert tips and selections for harness meetings run in New Zealand. Harness racing hits Methven again today with 11 races on the card. The racing starts at 12:00pm and we highlight some specials and value runners we think can give you a run […]
Eight year old Jake (Bettor’s Delight) defied not only his age when he won at Methven today, but also the very long gap between races. The gelding had his last start for his original trainer Dean Taylor on the Methven track in December 2021 and didn’t race at all as a five, six or seven […]
Ashburton harness racing trainer-driver John Hay returns from winter hibernation to line up his well-thought-of gelding Moonshiner on the grass at Methven today. In what could be the omen bet considering the full moon this weekend, Moonshiner is a $3.50 favourite in Race 7, the Peter Lagan Standardbreds Pace over 2400m at 2.49pm. “I haven’t […]
Laurence Hanrahan is hoping for a bit of beginner’s luck at Methven on Sunday. The harness racing meeting at Mt Harding is the opening grasstrack meeting of the spring. It is also his first meeting as Methven Trotting Club president, having recently taken over from Michael Heenan. It’s his first stint as president. “I’ve been […]
Veteran trotter Aveross Majesty (Majestic Son) has an affinity with grass track harness racing and yesterday he won his twelfth race and his nineth on the grass. The nine year old squaregaiter who started his career as a three year old with Andrew Faulks, has been trained for most of his life by his owner […]
An exciting day of harness racing action will play out today at Mt Harding racecourse for the Methven trotting club with a twelve race card full of big even fields. The Roseland Racing Drivers Challenge will showcase some of the best driving talent New Zealand has to offer. Methven trotting club President Michael Heenan is […]
It was his first race on a grass surface, but Australian harness racing gelding Better Eclipse (Betterthanchedder) handled it with ease and took out today’s $25,000 Group Three Methven 4 Square Supermarket Green Mile. “He was quite relaxed for the most part of it. He thought he was out having a stroll in the paddock […]
Oscar Bonavena (Majestic Son) etched his name into harness racing Green Mile history today when he took out the Woodland Stud Green Mile for the third time at Mount Harding Raceway. In a small field of just six, Oscar Bonavena left the gate well in the hands of Blair Orange and when the field headed […]
Welcome to today’s segment from our harness racing analyst. Providing you with free expert tips and selections for harness meetings run in New Zealand. Harness racing hits Methven again today with ten races on the card. The racing starts at 12:45pm and we highlight some specials and value runners we think can give you a run for your […]
A new record has been set with turnover from yesterday’s Methven Trotting Club harness racing meeting surpassing $1.7m. A total of 11 races were held at the Mt Harding course with final figures for the meeting confirmed at $1,746,334. It’s the highest turnover at Methven since the current wagering data started in 2015-16. The race […]
Mighty Looee (Sweet Lou) was an upset win in yesterday’s harness racing G3 Lazarus Methven Cup. After a smart beginning, favourite Pinseeker was taken to the lead with Mighty Looee and Tim Williams five back on the inside. The order remained the same until the field turned for home and started to fan out. Williams […]
