News Briefs : January 29
A number of training and driving milestones, a new race for Ashburton, ticket details for next week's HRNZ awards and the Big M's first triple dead heat all feature in this week's News Briefs.
Milestones galore early in 2025
There have been a host of milestones over the past week or so. At Addington last Friday High Intensity gave Robert and Jenna Dunn their 400th training success together while on the same night Hayden and Amanda Cullen got their first win in partnership with We Walk By Faith. At Oamaru (January 22) Steve Telfer secured training success number 700 when Melody Banner won (by a nose) with Dylan Ferguson having his 200th driving win with Captain Zenzi at Otaki (January 21). He also drove Cool Phelan (pictured above) at Otaki to give Brodie Ellis his first training success on January 19 and Bernard Lomas had his first win as a trainer, also at Otaki two days later, when The Gardener's Pride broke through for her first win at start number 38. He bred and owns the 11-year-old mare as well.
New race for Ashburton
HRNZ has programmed a Harness 5000 Non Win 3YO and older Mobile Pace as part of the Ashburton Cup meeting on Saturday, February 22. The race will cater for horses whose sire stood for an advertised service fee of $5,000 or less in the season of conception. It is hoped that with a good amount of support these races will continue to evolve and will be offered more frequently and in differing formats.
Tickets on sale for HRNZ awards till Friday
Time is running out for those wanting to get tickets for next week's HRNZ awards at Addington Raceway. Tickets will be on sale until this Friday (January 31). The awards will be held at the Christian Cullen Lounge on Saturday February 8, with doors opening at 5.15pm and the awards starting at 6 pm. Tickets, including dinner and drinks, are $130 each. The awards will feature all the age group winners for the 2024 season as well as Owner and Breeder of the Year. For the first time Australian horses who have excelled on this side of the Tasman are eligible. This year that includes the likes of Renwick Farms Dominion Trot winner Just Believe and unbeaten superstar filly Keayang Zahara. The awards will culminate with the crowning of the Horse of the Year. For more information or to purchase tickets click here
Hanara takes early lead in Revell Douglas series
Driving Sea Of Love, Taitlyn Hanara took out the first heat of the Hygain Revell Douglas Memories Series at Cambridge on Monday afternoon. It's the fourth year the series has been held and is run in memory of the late Revell Douglas who drowned at Karioitahi Beach in 2021. The 46-year-old father of three was a talented horseman, a passionate supporter of all aspects of harness racing and a much valued employee of Hygain Feeds. The series now heads to Hawera on Friday and Sunday.
Cambridge also saw the first heat of Frocks at the Trots for 2025, with Eleanor Campbell (pictured above) taking out the first prize. It's just the second year the event is being held as part of the Team Teal campaign to raise funds for and awareness of ovarian cancer. The second Frocks at the Trots will be at the Amberley Trotting Club meeting at Rangiora on February 6. The six week Team Teal campaign will go from February 1 to March 16. For more information contact courtney@hrnz.co.nz.
Yearling sales transport to Alexandra Park
Harness Racing New Zealand has arranged a bus to transport those staying at Karaka for the NZB Standardbred Yearling sales who want to go to the Auckland Trotting Club meeting at Alexandra Park on Friday, February 14. The ATC has generously offered to make available the Presidents Room on Level 3 at Alexandra Park for the evening, including hospitality. The bus will depart the DoubleTree by Hilton, Karaka at 4.15pm sharp, and will depart from Alexandra Park at 10.30pm sharp. Bookings are on a first in first served basis, and are limited to 45 people. Please email cameron@hrnz.co.nz to reserve your place. The sales, featuring around 340 yearlings, will be held at Karaka on Saturday February 15 before heading to Christchurch on Tuesday, February 18.
Triple dead heat at The Big M
Since racing first started there in 1976 the Meadowlands track in New Jersey has had its first triple dead heat. Nothing could separate Stone Cold Savage, Woodrow F Call and Spirit Truth at The Big M as they crossed the finish line together in 1:54. Fourth-placed Urban Renewal was fourth, just 21/100ths of a second behind the winners. The world's first triple dead heat decided by a photo finish was famously held at Westport in the Presidents Handicap on December 27, 1957.
Bulldog's dam dies aged 27
The dam of world record-holder Bulldog Hanover has died in North America, from "age-related issues". Driven by ex-pat Kiwi Dexter Dunn Bulldog Hanover became the fastest ever standardbred when he paced 1:45.8 to win at the Meadowlands in 2022. The Bulldog was BJ's Squall's 14th (and by far the best) foal. She was retired from breeding in 2019. She was 27.
Club News : Methven
The Methven Trotting Club has made its annual awards, following its final meeting of the summer last Sunday. Tim Williams was the Morrison Saddlery Leading Driver, Greg and Nina Hope were the Horseshoe Brands leading trainers while Sam Thornley was the John and Robyn Nicoll Leading Junior Driver and Korbyn Newman was judged the Mike and Di Heenan and Ricky and Judy May Young Achiever. The next meeting on the Mt Harding course will be the Hororata Trotting Club's meeting on February 9.
Open day at Kentuckiana
Kentuckiana Lodge, the home of stars including Invercargill and Auckland Cup winner Republican Party, is holding an open day on March 1. It's a chance to look around their expansive HQ at West Melton as well as seeing their top horses up close up and hearing from trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety about what goes in to preparing champions. For more information contact c.dalgety@xtra.co.nz, Cran +64 27 4360 667, Chrissie +64 27 2789 466 or have a look at Kentuckiana Lodge's Facebook page.
Club News : Southland Harness
The Southland Harness Awards are being held on the evening of Saturday on March 1 at the Waikiwi Rugby Club. The organisers are now calling for nominations for the Southland Horse of the Year and for the Contribution to Harness Racing/Achievement of the Year awards. Everyone is encouraged to nominate.
The criteria for eligibility for Southland Horse of the Year is a horse must fulfil two of the following three criteria:
• trained in Southland
• bred in Southland
• owned in Southland
Nominations close on Friday the 31st of January. Please send nominations (or any queries that you may have) to: southlandharnessawards@gmail.com
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