News Briefs : April 6

Draw for The Race just days away

The draw for New Zealand's richest harness racing event, The Race by Grins at Cambridge on Thursday week, will be made on Saturday and will be livestreamed on the Cambridge Raceway Facebook page from 7.15pm. The draw will start at 7.30pm. To find out more about the contenders The Race website is well worth checking out. To see it click here

Addington tops turnovers

Addington's first autumn feature race meeting had harness racing's highest turnover during the past week. The Friday meeting turned over $1,134,326, comfortably ahead of Rangiora's Sunday meeting ($838,766). The other meetings for the week were Wairio ($683,566), Manawatu - Thursday ($478,419), Manawatu - Tuesday ($409,099) and Auckland's six race meeting on Friday ($405,199).

Freak win at Melton

Anthony Butt has labelled Petracca a superstar after his 40 metre win at Melton on Saturday night. Emma Stewart's two-year-old produced a 27.1 final quarter to demolish his rivals, prompting Trots Vision host and former top Kiwi driver Butt to say "he looks a superstar...that's freakish that performance." Petracca's prominent Australian owner Danny Zavitsanos has also been to the fore at the Nutrien Equine Standardbred sale in Melbourne, paying a sales-topping $160,000 for a Somebeachsomewhere filly. The average sale price was $36,967. Zavitsanos was the talk of Addington in 2019 with his wild celebrations following Cruz Bromac's win in the New Zealand Cup. To see Petracca's win click here

McCarthy lands drive behind Amazing Dream

Amazing Dream will be driven by ex-pat Aussie Todd McCarthy when she launches her North American career next weekend. New trainer Linda Toscano gave the former champion Kiwi mare a big tick after an impressive Meadowlands trial win on Saturday night. Amazing Dream won the trial in a 1:52.8 mile, the final quarter in 26.3. Amazing Dream was sent to the US after finishing third in the Hunter Cup at Melton on February 5.

Lenny sires first winner

Lennytheshark, harness racing’s former Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile hero has sired his first winner when the two-year-old Heathbern Bruce was successful on debut at Bendigo. The gelding led throughout in a 1:58.1 rate for 1650 metres with the last 800 in a sharp 56.8 seconds.

Big divvies either side of Tasman

There have been triple figure returns on both sides of the Tasman over the past week. B J Lindenny won by half a neck paying $100.10 at Addington Friday night, only a day after What A Pleasure had prevailed at Cobram in Victoria for 18-year-old driver Harry O'Neill. What A Pleasure paid $147.10 and $19.50.