Always back the horse named self-interest, son. It'll be the only one trying
Lot 62 at this week’s NZ National Yearling sale in Auckland on the weekend is a beautifully bred colt by champion sire Bettors Delight out of the dual Group 3 winning mare Spellbound, a daughter of Art Major. He’s a cracking looking type too the colt, tall and rangy yet well structured and strong, with […]
The big harness racing news out of New Zealand is that multiple premiership winning trainer Mark Purdon is launching a North Island stable. Purdon, who in recent times has been in a training partnership with his son Nathan despite living in the North Island, will base his new operation out of Steven Reid’s former barns […]
Driver Derek Balle failed to give a sample when directed to at Alexandra Park last night too. He hasn’t been stood down, but an inquiry into the matter has been opened and adjourned. Derek Balle is Zev Meredith’s father-in-law. You remember Zev. He’s the driver who said he couldn’t come to the track after he […]
Driver Zev Meredith has a bit of history when it comes to failing drug tests. In 2021 he was suspended for 4 weeks (with 2 weeks suspended) after cannabis was detected in a sample he provided to Stewards. Meredith again failed a drug test in 2023 – cannabis again – and was this time suspended […]
Do you remember that Kiwi clown called Mark Jones? It’s okay if you don’t, because he’s not very memorable. Jones is the South Island trainer who threatened to sue us a year or back after we wrote a story featuring him that the poor precious dear didn’t like. He even went so far as to […]
Te Aroha trainer Shane Simon says he doesn’t have a problem with meth (known as P or Ice). No-one but him believes it. In November last year Simon threw a personal positive to the insidious, evil drug that has wrecked families and communities. He pleaded guilty of a breach of the prohibited substance rule, and […]
The Moa from Marlborough has sent over some late mail for the Nelson trot meeting in New Zealand today. He’s usually a very good judge, but nevertheless we take no responsibility for the success or otherwise of the Moa’s tips. Race 1 no 1 – Copenhagen Girl Reportedly arrived at the Team Dunn barn with […]
Nathan ‘Cracker’ Jack is probably feeling anything but crackerjack after copping a 9 month disqualification after throwing a pair of positive swabs to Levamisole on NSW soil, both with the same Kiwi import (name – Skinnydip) in races run 2 weeks apart, and 6-8 weeks after the horse arrived in Australia. He shouldn’t be too […]
Do you remember the horse Cracker Opie that we wrote about in a story last week? The one we said was driven as dead as a maggot? Well guess what? Today we found out why it had been hooked. Cracker Opie was being set for a $25 000 Maiden, and wouldn’t be eligible if he […]
Two prominent NZ harness racing identities* were yesterday convicted of criminal offences. One of the men is a trainer who is currently unlicensed, despite completing his disqualification for race day doping . He has been found guilty on three counts stemming from a sexual assault of a woman. The other man is a driver who […]
