Always back the horse named self-interest, son. It'll be the only one trying
Anyone want to invest in a housing development being undertaken by a Kiwi harness racing club? You’d have to brave after seeing what has happened at Alexandra Park, but that’s exactly what the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Club are asking people to in their proposed subdivision at the Cambridge raceway. Don’t ask exactly what the plans […]
There has been a terrible fall this morning in the first race at Te Aroho in New Zealand, with jockeys Craig Grylls and Jasmine Fawcett both hitting the ground hard. Miraculously both jockeys appear to be okay. It’s a bloody dangerous game this racing caper, and we don’t appreciate how brave these jockeys who keep […]
The Board of the RIB (which is accountable to the Minister for Racing) is now seeking to appoint an outstanding Chief Executive with a track record of providing strategic leadership and driving engagement with industry stakeholders. This is an opportunity to take on a crucial leadership role within the sector, that leads the racing industry’s […]
In New Zealand yearling harness horses aren’t allowed to compete in any race prior to 1 October. It’s a newish rule introduced by HRNZ earlier this year on the 1st of February without any official notice or circular appearing to have been sent to participants, which means that few trainers other than the handful that […]
The Mark Jones prepared pacer Tinkerbelle. It must be named after its trainer, even if he can’t get the spelling right. I got a phone call from a number in New Zealand this morning, and thinking it might have been my mate the Jackal the judge on a break in between cases I picked it […]
We have written at length about the class advantage that the current crop of Kiwi fillies and mares has over the Australian female gallopers, and they proved it again yesterday with the wins of Prowess in the Crystal Mile and the imperious Imperatriz in the William Reid. I don’t know what makes these Kiwi gals […]
Just take a look at this drive by Brad Williamson on the favourite Perfect Potion at Wyndham a couple of weeks ago. You will never see as big a hook job if you live to be a hundred years old. Williamson has the fave perched beautifully 1 out and 2 back in the line, but […]
How strange it is that the rise of NZ South Island trainer Craig Ferguson coincides so neatly with the fall of his close friend Cam Jones, the disgraced drug cheat currently serving a long stint in the sin bin. Up until Jones got caught red handed on race day throwing a syringe in a bin […]
With only a few weeks left until the NZ Trotting Cup carnival, the country’s leading harness racing event featuring a multitude of Group 1 races for horses of all ages, it is frightening to learn that another pair of the nation’s young rising stars have left its shores and been exported to Australia. The 4yo […]
A most curiously named 2YO gelding raced in a heat of the Sires Stakes at Ashburton yesterday. His name was Auntie Deb. One wag has suggested that he’s the Boy Named Sue of the 21st century. It’s hard to disagree. He reminds me more though of the Tony Herlihy trained 4YO mare that’s currently racing […]
