Always back the horse named self-interest, son. It'll be the only one trying
The driver of the 2nd horse in the last race at Ashburton protested against the winner for alleged interference in the run home. Hope’s objection was dismissed, and rightly so, for it had no hope. When you drive up inside a leader’s wheel and get your own locked it’s driver error, not interference. Ben Hope […]
16 January 2024 , News Harness Racing New Zealand would like to remind everyone in the sport that last week’s draft dates calendar is just that – a draft. Since it was released there has been an outpouring of comment, and in some case strong criticism, with many believing the new calendar is set in stone. […]
New Zealand harness racing has been struggling for years. Breeding numbers have dropped, there aren’t enough races, the sport in the north island is collapsing, field sizes are too high in the low grade races and too low up the classes, and owners and trainers are selling or exporting their stock to Australia or the […]
It’s hard to get a real gauge on the NZ 3yo horse of the year Sharp N Smart’s return to the track at Ellerslie today. His third beaten 4.5 lengths looks okay on paper, but he had the perfect run in third spot on the fence, and the winner Legarto – our tip as a […]
If you watch the replay of the race carefully you will see that Lurch – driver John Dunn – fails to pull the hopple shorteners on Millwood Goddess at any stage until after they passed the winning post. That means that the mare paced throughout the race with her hoppled about 4 inches too tight, […]
Last year’s champion New Zealand 3YO Sharp n Smart resumes for his new year campaign tomorrow at Ellerslie, on the first day of North Island HQ racing on the new Strathayr track after a 22 month absence from holding race meetings. The triple Group winning NZ Derby champ comes into this off a last start […]
Scott Iremonger was a licensed junior driver until he got bashed from behind in a sneak attack bt=y 2 blokes in the toilets at Westport. Now a few weeks later he hasn’t got a license. You’d hate to think young Iremonger threw his license in because of the assault, and concern for his safety in […]
The overnight word out of Woodend Beach is to back horses trained by the little known small time mentor Kyle Austin at the Nelson trots today. Apparently Austin has been seen in Nelson recently in the somewhat close company of a Group 1 winning expat trainer who knows their way around plungers, nebulisers, drenches and […]
This below comes directly from the Harness Racing New Zealand 2022-2023 Annual Report, with page numbers included. There is something funny about the Forbury Park sale we suspect. We will tell you all about our concerns soon. First though read the excerpts from the Annual Report and ask yourself what would appear to be the […]
HRNZ Industry Update from Chief Operating Officer Mauro Barsi, 20 Dec 2023 https://www.hrnz.co.nz/news/industry-update-what-the-board-are-talking-about/ Kia Ora Mr Barsi I am a harness racing writer from Australia, and author articles for the widely read racing website peterprofit.com. I write to you in relation to the sale of Forbury Park and the application of the proceeds of the […]
