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Three year old filly Crunchie (Captain Crunch) trained by Denise Ottley proved too strong when she won on debut at the Banks Peninsula meeting at Orari yesterday. After a safe beginning, Denise’s daughter Sam took Crunchie to the front where the pair dictated all the terms. Olympian who sat parked came up for a look […]
Faith Not Fear (Captaintreacherous) announced himself as a youngster with serious potential, producing a blistering passing lane sprint to upset hot favourite Tour Party in just his second career harness racing start at Addington. Driven by Samantha Ottley for Hayden and Amanda Cullen, the two-year-old showed electric gate speed to lead from barrier six before […]
The Mark Jones trained filly Mattie Niven (Downbytheseaside) capitalised on a perfect trip to win todays $20,000 heat of the Nevele R Three Year Old Fillies Series at Ashburton. “She had a bit of gate speed and followed the right horse. It worked out good,” Jones said. At the end of the 1700 metre trip […]
Jumal (Downbytheseaside) will be driven by Blair Orange who replaces his usual driver Sam Ottley, for his upcoming tilt at the Northern Derby. “I have talked to her about it. She’s been super professional. I’m still going to support her but just not with him at the minute,” said trainer Steven Reid. Jumal had a […]
Steven Reid has been training horses for more than three decades. And he reckons Jumal (Downbytheseaside) is potentially the best of them all. “I feel a bit sad for Gold Ace for saying that, because he won pretty much every (feature) race, bar the Great Northern Derby. He was a pretty phenomenal young horse. I’ve […]
Little Spike was the first North Islander to claim a title at today’s Pheobe Stud Harness 5000 at Ashburton today. The four year old gelding is raced by the Estate of the late Ken Piercy and his wife Audrey. “She’s ninety three and lives in Wellington. I hope she’s watching,” trainer Arna Donnelly said after […]
It was a drama packed Woodlands Stud Queen of Hearts at Alexandra last night with harness racing mare Francent (Vincent) declared the winner after she was clearly headed close to the line by Captains Mistress. But what unfolded was a shocking watch, as the seat on Captains Mistress’s sulky detached and tossed driver Nathan Williamson […]
Got The Chocolates (Art Major) once again turned the tables on arch rival Marketplace in today’s $30,000 Ashburton Three Year Old Showcase. Driver John Dunn didn’t have the lightning gate speed of Marketplace or Rubira but he mustered enough speed to get handy, albeit in the parked position. At the 600 metres Marketplace and Got […]
Some eagle eyed spotting by trainer Mark Jones paid dividends at Ascot Park today. The Burnham horseman saw the newly minted Silk Road Series for mares in Southland and set Francent (Vincent) on a pathway to today’s $30,000 final. “Full credit to Mark. He’s so great at placing his horses. He spotted this series and […]
Rangiora harness racing trainer Steven Reid thinks Jumal (Downbytheseaside) could potentially be the best juvenile pacer he’s trained. “Monkey King never raced as a two year old because he used to get on his knees and jump out of his gear. Bailey (Bailey’s Dream) was right up there as a juvenile and Gold Ace was […]
Canterbury reinswoman Samantha Ottley reined a harness racing double at the Winton meeting today. In the $20,000 Murray Gray Memorial Mobile Pace she teamed up with the Mark Jones trained Seaside Croft (Downbytheseaside) to get a three quarter of a length decision over another son of Downbytheseaside, D Mac. “It was a very professional display […]
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 […]
The ease with which the Mark Jones trained Wanna Play A Game (Tactical Landing) won at the Ashburton harness racing meeting yesterday would suggest the winning won’t finish there. Driver Sam Ottley stepped Wanna Play A Game and led from start to finish before clearing out to win by four and a quarter lengths with […]
Having finished first equal in the first heat of the Macca Lodge/Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks Series at Oamaru last week, the Mark Jones trained Selsey Anne (Lather Up) won the second heat outright at the Wyndham Harness Racing Club meeting at Wyndham today. The dead heat at Oamaru earned zero rating points for Selsey […]
It took an age to sort out, but in the end Delightful Peg (Bettor’s Delight) and Selsey Anne (Lather Up) couldn’t be separated in the first heat of the Nevele R/Macca Lodge Southern Oaks series at the Oamaru Harness Racing Clubs meeting today. After a number of lead changes, Delightful Peg driven by Matthew Williamson […]
Two horses with impeccable records on the grass took out the harness racing features at the Waikouaiti meeting at Oamaru today. Driven by Ben Hope, Homebush Lad (Mach Three) trained by Greg and Nina Hope, got a late run up the passing lane to win the $20,000 Temuka Transport Waikouaiti Pacers Cup. The eleven year […]
Piccadilly Pete ($1.75FF) will be looking to double down on success at Westport today after winning the Frank Dooley Memorial Westport Cup on day one. After a dominant performance on the first day the three-year-old Sweet Lou gelding has come through his run well and harness racing trainer Matt Purvis is expecting another strong performance […]
Buffy Northstain (Majestic Son) kept Sam Thornley’s Junior Drivers Premiership hopes alive when she won the Ward and Sinclair Limited Trot at Gore today. Trained by Bruce Negus, the six year old mare got back in the running and stormed home late to beat Tinkerbelle. The win was Buffy Northstain’s twelfth and puts Thornley on […]
“I’m a little bit speechless actually. I don’t want to get emotional but there are so many people I want to thank on the way. It’s just unreal,” driver Sam Ottley told Matt Markham on Trackside after Masterly (Love You) produced her 100th winning drive for the season at the Westport harness racing meeting today. […]
In her final push to drive 100 winners in a season, Sam Ottley heads to the Cambridge harness racing meeting tomorrow afternoon to drive a handful of Arna Donnelly runners. “I had to twist her arm a bit. If you get that close you might as well have a crack. To get her 800 is […]
Samantha Ottley’s success at Ashburton today on the Coaster Howe trained harness racing filly Didjaseemiki, (Always B Miki) brought her to her 800th win. “Coaster said she’s a speed horse but they were going that slow I opted to get going down the back,” Ottley told ‘Sunday Session’ afterwards. “It worked out great because I […]
Going into yesterday’s Diamond Creek Farm/SBSR Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Fillies Mobile Pace, harness racing trainer Amanda Telfer wasn’t sure whether Molly Belwin (Art Major) was ready for the task. “It was a little bit hard to tell because she’d only had that soft trial and there were only two runners,” Amanda who trains […]
Kim Nyhan’s bad luck in breaking her wrist, has brought a bit of good luck to West Melton harness racing trainer Tim Trathen. Because of the injury Nyhan was unable to work two of her trotters Night Life (The Pres) and Nellie Doyle (Majestic Son) so she passed the reins over to Trathen and yesterday […]
It was third time lucky for the Lyndon Bond trained harness racing pacer Step It Up A Notch (Rock N Roll Heaven) in today’s $30,000 Macca Lodge ‘Trained South Of The Waitaki’ Mobile Pace at Addington. The gelding finished ninth in the 2022 edition and fifth last year, so the win was well deserved. The […]
