Always back the horse named self-interest, son. It'll be the only one trying
At his best I rate Zac Butcher as the 3rd best driver in New Zealand, behind Nat and Mark. In the four seasons between 2017 and 2020 he proved my judgement right by winning at an average strike rate of about 1 in every 6 drives. But something happened along the way, and I am […]
Darren Binskin drove a very weird drive on the odds on fave Wolf Stride in race 5 at Menangle last night. I didn’t like it one little bit. Binskin is in the yellow colours, going back off the gate at the start when he should have gone forward. Watch what happens next, and look at […]
Just have a look at this drive at Bathurst on Wednesday night by Blake Micallef on Mister Haywood. It’s the horse in the chocolate brown and lime colours. The one whose head Micallef swings from side to side as he refuses to take the runs that could have won the horse the race. This wasn’t […]
“Since when do we penalise our harness racing drivers for making tactical errors in races?” Since they have been LICENCED to compete in races on which there is betting, I would have thought. This is the “I didn’t mean to speed officer, I just wasn’t looking for a sign and I didn’t see it” defence. […]
The Chris Frisby trained pacer Feelgood Express was backed from $1.95 into $1.75 in the 7th race at Redcliffe last night. I very much doubt it was the stable’s money. If it had been it is highly unlikely that Shane Graham would have driven it the atrocious manner than he did, most unlikely indeed. Feelgood […]
The mail is that talented Tasmanian harness racing trainer/driver Conor Crook has applied for and been granted 16 boxes at the newly constructed Shepparton Training Centre in Victoria, if and when it is ever completed (more on that later). His move can’t come quick enough for Tassie punters, who to a person are sick and […]
Jack Chapple just turned sixteen. On the day he did, he applied for his junior trot driving license, before he even opened his presents. This is a kid who lives, breathes and eats harness racing. He calls races, he studies videos and does form, he works horses with his dad before school, and mucks out […]
This time last year Anthony Butt was driving Copy That in the Rising Sun, and driving winners at a rate of 1 in 4. Things have dropped off a little since then*. Ants strike rate is now just 11.4%, less than half of what it had been over the previous two seasons. He hasn’t got […]
The 6th at Albion Park last night had 8 starters, but it was always going to be a 2 horse race. Cover Girl was drawn the one and driven by Luke McCarthy. It blew from $1.60 out to $2.10. Dangerzone was out in the 5, and steered by Brendan Barnes. It firmed from $2.30 into […]
https://www-harness-org-au.akamaized.net/vic/BNC05062204.mp4 Have a look at this. It’s race 7 at Bendigo on Sunday night, the one in which Cracker Jack drove the heavily backed horse in to win. Watch the start. Cracker’s on the horse on the outside of the 2nd row. Taylor French is driving number 7, the one in black on the outside […]
