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Leap To Fame (Bettors Delight – Lettucereason) did not get a headline on Saturday night, and in our view that suited him just fine. While Captains Mistress was making history in the Victoria Cup at Melton, the champion was in Brisbane at Albion Park, winning a $21,378 Open Pace by 26.1 metres. It was the […]
Some of the biggest Aussie stars are getting serious as they build towards New Zealand Cup Week. Defending NZ Cup winner Kingman (Always B Miki) returns from a spell and faces a serious test in the opening race at Menangle on Saturday night. Racing for the first time since a tiring eighth in the Race […]
There have been several minor movements in the New Zealand Trotting Cup and Renwick Farms Dominion Trot rankings this week after the running of the Hannon Memorial and Jasmyn’s Gift at Oamaru on Sunday. To see the latest rankings click here From Harness Racing New Zealand
The rankings for the New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot have had a minor re-jig following last Friday night’s harness racing action at Addington Raceway. The Lazarus Effect (Lazarus) sealed his spot in the Cup on Tuesday, November 10 with his win in the first of the automatic qualifiers, the Allied […]
New Zealand harness racing has been dealt a major blow with emerging superstar Got The Chocolates ruled out for an extended period after suffering a fractured hind sesamoid. The injury was revealed on Saturday morning, with respected New Zealand racing commentator Matt Markham reporting the setback on social media. “Huge blow to the NZ Cup […]
After a tough week or two, New Zealand harness racing has some seriously good news. The best pacer in this part of the world and one of the greatest of all time, Leap To Fame, will return for another tilt at the New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 10. After a few days of deliberating […]
Champion pacer Leap To Fame’s (Bettor’s Delight) roller coaster IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup harness racing raid is over. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon ordered one final precautionary blood test before Sunday’s planned flight from Sydney to Auckland and the news was bad. “It’s over,” Leap To Fame’s owner Kevin Seymour said, “just when we thought things […]
Menangle Park harness racing horseman Jason Grimson and connections have paid a late nomination fee for their star pacer Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) to defend his New Zealand Cup title. Swayzee won the 2023 NZ Cup in brilliant fashion and Grimson is confident he can run another bold race in the $1million feature with […]
Last year’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup winning trainer Jason Grimson won’t defend his title this year following the withdrawal of his two remaining contenders, Major Moth (Art Major) and Nerano (Tintin In America). The pair ran way below their best in a free-for-all behind Aussie champion Leap To Fame at Menangle last Saturday night […]
There was drama before, during and after Just An Excuse’s win in 2024. Before the great race the defending harness racing champion was far from healthy. He had jarring up issues, was off his food and his lead-up form did not look promising. During the race he had to contend with starting off the back […]
The $1m IRT NZ Trotting Cup is still more than three months away, but one of the most defining harness racing lead-up races is just days away. Defending champion Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven), Aussie champ Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) and Swayzee’s stablemates Nerano (Tintin In America) and District Attorney (Courage Under Fire) could […]
Champion Aussie harness racing pacer Leap To Fame’s (Bettor’s Delight) planned New Zealand Cup raid is in limbo after a day of drama saw him withdrawn from Saturday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Redcliffe Cup. The race had been earmarked for many weeks as the “key decider” for owners Kevin and Kay Seymour and trainer-driver Grant […]
It is no longer if but how Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) will tackle the New Zealand Cup. The champion pacer returned to training on Monday after a three-week spell and harness racing trainer-driver Grant Dixon confirmed part of the five-year-old’s winter campaign would be built around getting him standing-start practice. “Given we’re aiming at […]
“It is the greatest cup win of all time” The win of Terror To Love in the New Zealand Trotting Cup of 2013 was indeed something special. The win, and the way in which victory was secured, elevated the son of Western Terror into the pantheon of great champions – now he strode beside Indianapolis […]
After their one-two finish at Kaikoura on Monday, Mystic Max (Village Mystic) and Harold Smith (Andover Hall) have both jumped up in the latest IRT New Zealand Cup and Show Week harness racing rankings. At double figure odds, Mystic Max beat his closest rival by a neck in the Group 3 IRT Your Horse. Our […]
And then there was one. Australia is left with just the one harness racing runner – Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) – in Tuesday week’s New Zealand Cup after high-class former Kiwi pacer Spirit Of St Louis was ruled-out today. The dual millionaire pacer ran well below his best when a tiring fourth to Swayzee […]
Exciting Aussie pacer Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) ticked his biggest New Zealand Cup box yet at the Menangle trials yesterday. And his harness racing driver Cam Hart was buzzing. Swayzee didn’t just step away well in a standing-start trial – first try at the caper – but left Hart convinced not even the huge […]
The New Zealand Cup now shapes as an unlikely target for brilliant harness racing pacer Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) following his scratching from last weekend’s Grand Circuit classic. Trainer Ahmed Taiba said an elevated temperature and the fact the horse left some of his food on Saturday morning was behind the decision to withdraw him from […]
There has only been a minor reshuffle in this week’s New Zealand Cup and Show Week harness racing rankings. Ahead of this country’s greatest trotting race, the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington on Show Day, Friday November 17 Oscar Bonavena (3rd) and Muscle Mountain (4th) have swapped places, as have Bolt For Brilliance (6th) […]
Gun Australian Captain Ravishing (Captaintreacherous) has been a notable harness racing addition to the latest IRT New Zealand Cup rankings. Connections of the star four-year-old have paid a late nomination fee to secure his place at Addington on Tuesday, November 14. A winner of nine from 16 starts, Captain Ravishing’s presence adds depth and interest […]
The first harness racing rankings lists are out for the IRT New Zealand Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot to be held at Addington in November. In the Cup, defending champion Copy That (American Ideal) is at number one followed by 2023 Auckland Cup winner Akuta and then Mossdale Ben and B D Joe […]
Trainer Ray Green has a surprise bonus for southern harness racing fans as he starts to plot Copy That’s (American Ideal) road to a record-equalling third New Zealand Cup. Because that road is going to run predominantly through the two big South Island lead-up races, setting up some mouth-watering clashes with Self Assured and Akuta. […]
Following up with last week’s story about harness racing stallion Western Terror (Western Hanover), many in the United States might be surprised to learn that he was responsible for one of the best New Zealand trotting wonders to ever set hoof to the track in the southern hemisphere. After thoroughly dissection Western Terror’s pedigree, it […]
Champion harness racing trainer Mark Purdon has given the best tip yet his star three-year-old Akuta (Bettor’s Delight) will miss the IRT New Zealand Cup by allowing him to bypass next week’s Ashburton Flying Stakes. That Flying Stakes was supposed to be Akuta’s acid test on the way to the Cup at Addington on November […]
