Contributor
While winter proved a disappointing time for David and Stacey White with the retirement of their harness racing stable star Bet N Win, it has also paved the way for a new name to shine. The couple and their young family have recently moved to train out of the Ashburton Racecourse and are developing a […]
Australian trotting megastar Keayang Zahara (Volstead) will miss this year’s Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington on Tuesday, November 10. The now five-year-old harness racing mare pulled up short in her action after training on Wednesday, with further testing revealing an issue in a hind leg. “She has a slight strain in her back leg” […]
Harnesslink’s Tuesday Throwback Paleface Adios received a huge response with more than 60,000 views on facebook. The post triggered lots of memories of the horse that was affectionately called the Temora Tornado. A race that lives in the memories of those who saw it is the 1974 Miracle Mile, when Paleface Adios and Hondo Grattan […]
After making Cup Week his own last year, Queensland’s trotting hero Gus is bound for Addington once again. The last start Inter Dominion Champion was one of six Australian-trained trotters nominated for the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion when the entrants were released early last week. With the Grand Final of the Inter Dominion staged only […]
Tom Bagrie isn’t afraid to admit that it’s “nervous times” as he prepares to embark on his maiden international racing campaign. But with the right horse, and juicy stake money on offer, it seems the time is right. Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Oaks winner Dash Dosh will contest the $150,000AUD The Great Square for […]
While it’s been ‘close but no cigar’ for Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) this Kiwi campaign, he gets his best chance at more Group 1 harness racing success when he lines up from the inside draw in tonight’s Dawson Harford New Zealand Messenger (8.57pm) at Alexandra Park. Running third in $1m The Race by Sport […]
t’s been almost a week since the fifth iteration of the Night Of Champions at Cambridge and the racing world is still abuzz about an evening the harness racing industry should be proud of. Not only should we be proud, but it should also act as a springboard to what could be a huge 2026 […]
When American Me (American Ideal) combined to win the 2023 edition of the Invercargill Cup, it was a transitional moment for driver Sarah O’Reilly. It seemed to signal her evolution from champion junior harness racing driver to genuine big race contender. Dominating the junior driver’s premiership for three years, it proved that with opportunities at […]
A patient harness racing drive by Robert Morris was the key factor in Grosso Nasso’s (Bettors Delight) win in an exciting $75,000 TAB Regional Championship Final at Newcastle last night. The event alongside the Cup was regarded as the showpiece for the meeting. Having his first drive in the event for trainer Antony Missen, Morris […]
When Craig Wiggins drove out of Mt Harding Racecourse on Sunday evening he was likely filled with many emotions. Mainly pride and admiration, but also a tinge of sadness after officially calling time on his partner JB’s professional career as a clerk of the course. At 22 years of age, “Wiggy” felt it was an […]
Is Kingman (Always B Miki) coming? That question will be answered tomorrow (Thursday) by his owner Mick Harvey on whether the $28,750 late payment is lodged for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. Another hurdle was jumped today, however, at Club Menangle when the four-year-old stallion safely negotiated the tapes to gain his standing start […]
The connections of New Zealand-bred trotter Gus are hoping a return to his country of birth on the second Tuesday in November will be fruitful. Gus is presently on the fifth line of betting with TAB at $10 for the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot on Cup day at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. He […]
Meet Harness Racing’s J Mac. James MacDonald is a household name for many Kiwis, particularly those in the racing game. But this November a new ‘J Mac’ will arrive on New Zealand shores in the form of Canada’s four-time defending Driver of the Year. He will represent Canada for the third time in the World […]
The harness racing version of the TAB Racing Club will officially get underway tonight (Friday) at Addington Raceway. After purchasing several high-quality yearlings at last year’s sales, Eun Sugno for the Dalgetys will be the first to don the dark blue and red TAB silks on race day. A big son of Captain Crunch out […]
New Zealand’s fightback against another Aussie harness racing invasion during New Zealand Cup Week is about to get a serious uplift with the return of glamour pacer Akuta (Bettor’s Delight). Not seen since running third in the Franklin Cup of 2023, a significant tendon issue for the now six-year-old keep him off the scene with […]
When it comes to precious standardbred cargo, maybe the most valuable in modern times is due to arrive in Canterbury today. The Bettor’s Delight weanling, a full sister to Leap To Fame, and half relation to Swayzee, is bound for New Zealand soils to continue what is developing into an incredible legacy. Lettucereason (the filly’s […]
The Australian harness racing assault is building. While the Inter Dominion Carnival has only been wrapped up for a few days, the next targets for many of Australia’s very best are being planned. And New Zealand Cup Week beckons. The now richest standardbred in Australasian harness racing history Leap To Fame is certainly the touted […]
With the NZB National Standardbred Weanling Sale on this Thursday 26th June, the first opportunity to obtain harness racing stock from no less than five freshman stallions is obtainable to buyers. Pebble Beach Three weanlings will be presented by exciting young stallion Pebble Beach on behalf of Alabar where the former Dan Patch Three-Year-Old Pacing […]
With less than two weeks until the annual NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale, it seemed the perfect opportunity to reflect on some of the more ‘shrewd’ purchases out of that sale ring. This year’s event will be run alongside the thoroughbred sale, which opens the opportunities to an even wider audience in 2025. Christopher Dance […]
The Kiwis’ Queensland Winter harness racing raid began positively at Albion Park on Friday afternoon when the Purdon pair of Oscar Bonavena (Majestic Son) and Rubira (Always B Miki) stepped out under trial conditions. Adam Sanderson was charged with looking after the pair after they landed close to a fortnight ago, before Brooke Wilkins arrived […]
Duchess Maria (Father Patrick) is proving to be an Autumn star. The two year old trotting filly has travelled the length of the country hardly turning a hair and has excelled with wins in Invercargill, Auckland and now Addington, all at Group or Listed level. In tonight’s $50,000 Group Three Sport Nation New Zealand Two […]
Kiwi update on ID2025 With only six weeks until the first round of rapidly approaching Inter Dominion heats, here is the latest on the Kiwi contingent after the second rankings were released. A total of 24 trotters (two heats of 12) will contest the trotter’s series, with 36 pacers making the cut for the first […]
What is it with all the harness racing dead heats that seem to be happening in this country? The latest was at Cambridge on Tuesday when Power N Glory and Beta Prepare couldn’t be separated in the first of the night, the Dunstan Horse Feeds Mobile Pace. And that got me thinking .. does […]
While the Australian flavour in the north has been strong for the last month, there is added intrigue in Friday night’s Alexandra Park premier race card. It comes in the form of a rare Australian juvenile racing here and the change to standing start conditions for two other trans-Tasman visitors in the trotting ranks. The […]
