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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Cambridge’s Night of Champions is one of racing’s biggest, and it promises to be another epic trans-Tasman battle. Friday’s 10-race card will be highlighted by the $1m Race by betcha and the $600,000 TAB Trot plus a support card that includes the Dorothy Cutts Invitational. To mark what will be a huge occasion we have produced a special Liftout with previews, tips, opinion pieces and more. To view the Liftout please click here View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Brigette Solomon No stable is winning races like Michael House is right now. On Tuesday at Manawatu his runners won five of the night’s seven races – it’s the third time this year that he’s had five wins at the same meeting. The previous five-fors were also at Manawatu on February 11 and February 13. Four of the five winners were driven by son Wilson House, who is second in the drivers’ premiership with 43 wins this year, 10 shy of seven time champion Blair Orange. “It was a really good day, but a lot of credit has to go to the team that work for us,” said Michael House, “we have a bunch of really good horse people that give the horses such good consistent care prior to and after racing.” “I’m really proud of my two boys as well, Wilson is doing well with his driving and my youngest son George has taken on the role of travelling manager for me and he’s doing a great job and is really finding his feet and developing into the role.” The stable’s five winners included two horses having their first look at Manawatu with Koko Kaboom taking out the Creative Catering Handicap Trot despite losing considerable ground when galloping on the first bend. Patiently driven by House, the gelding settled with the back markers and caught the leading pack to land the one out one back position. Koko Kaboom was shuffled back one spot when stable mate Tinkerbelle rounded the field to take the parked position, but Koko Kaboom was tough when House made his move with 400 metres left to run, reeling in the field to win by a length. “It was touch and go if we sent Koko Kaboom up as I didn’t think he’d handle the track and he’s not very tractable and there’s still a few things to iron out yet,” said House “he definitely raced better than he’s been working but credit to Wilson who got him round in his two starts prior after we had changed his shoeing and got him a bit more organised.” “Matai Harry was the other having his first look at Manawatu and the genuine pace in the race turned it into a bit of a staying contest which played right into his hands.” Matai Harry, also driven by House, was content to let the gelding settle at the rear of the field before setting off three wide with 700 metres to run. House allowed the gelding to steadily improve, levelling with the leader Jahi 400 metres from home, and from there Matai Harry edged in front to take out the Happy 45th Birthday Greg Olsen Mobile Pace. House also went on to win on Doctor Tim (R5) and Matai Lizzie(R7), while Sailesh Abernethy was the successful driver of Stickifingers (R4) for the House Stable. House now has 56 wins for the season to date. He leads the drivers’ premiership by 32 from nearest rivals Steve and Amanda Telfer. “Chasing the premiership is definitely not one of our goals but it’s been great to see the endeavour of targeting the summer and autumn racing circuits up here pay off” said House, “it was something I had envisioned back in November and after securing Harrison Orange as a concession junior driver for the team it was all systems go.” “There will be a few of the big stables that will have a lot of horses coming out shortly and I’m happy to leave it to them to target premierships, we’ll just be focussing day to day on the stable.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Nina Hope’s record-breaking final training tally, an increase to the minimum wage, and plenty of chat about Cambridge’s Night of Champions all feature in this week’s News Briefs. Nina Hope’s final training tally This country’s most successful female trainer Nina Hope is leaving the training ranks with 903 career wins. As announced last week Hope is not renewing her trainers’ licence, with son Ben joining Greg in partnership from yesterday, April 1. The Woodend-based husband and wife combo of Greg and Nina Hope have been a huge successful training operation since their first winner Eyreton Bay at Marlborough 24 years ago. Nina Hope’s last race day was at Rangiora on Sunday where they had two wins with Blue Rock Dancer and Crown Moment, both driven by Ben. With 903 wins she finishes as the most successful female trainer in this country, five wins ahead of Natalie Rasmussen who had 898 in partnership with Mark Purdon between the 2014 and 2021 seasons. The first Greg and Ben Hope runners will be at Timaru today. House draws clear at top of premiership After winning five races at Manawatu last night Michael House has extended his lead in the trainers’ premiership. He now has 56 wins in 2025, 32 ahead of his closest rival Steve and Amanda Telfer. House’s winners last night were Koko Kaboom, Matai Harry, Stickifingers, Doctor Tim and Matai Lizzie. On the back of the stable’s success Wilson House is now second in the drivers’ premiership with 43 wins, 10 behind leader Blair Orange. House is a clear leader in the junior drivers’ ranks, with Harrison Orange next on 29. Minimum Wage Increase – Effective 1 April 2025 Employers are reminded that, effective from 1 April 2025, the minimum wage rates in New Zealand have increased as follows: Adult Minimum Wage: Increased from $23.15 to $23.50 per hour. Starting-Out and Training Minimum Wage: Increased from $18.52 to $18.80 per hour. Please ensure all employment agreements and payroll systems are updated accordingly to reflect these changes. For more information on employment obligations and details on the minimum wage rates, visit Employment New Zealand. 3YO Semi Finals at Cambridge on Friday The New Zealand Sires’ Stakes are excited about the two semi finals for the 3YOs at Cambridge’s Night of Champions on Friday. To read their latest newsletter click here To see the Fillies field click here To see the Colts and Geldings field click here Purdon flying at Cambridge Chase A Dream’s return to form last Friday gave co-trainer Mark Purdon his sixth driving win in the Waikato Flying Mile. Paying $24, the Captaintreacherous four-year-old cleared out to beat a quality field by two lengths to confirm his place in Friday’s $1m The race by betcha as part of Cambridge’s Night of Champions. It was his 11th win in 21 starts. Chase A Dream cut out the mile in a new track and race record of 1:51.4, beating the old mark of 1:52 set by Self Assured in 2023. Purdon’s other wins in the event have been Chase Auckland (2020), Turn It Up (2019), Lazarus (2017), Auckland Reactor (2009) and Young Rufus (2003). Chase A Dream will start one the second row in Friday’s $1m The Race by betcha. The BGP Punters Club – how to get involved The BGP Punters Club is currently at just over $65,000 for the Night of Champions at Cambridge. It’s hoped that figure will increase sharply in the last few days heading into Friday’s big meeting. For those wanting to get involved you can purchase a share in the BGP Punters Club directly from the TAB APP. You can no longer enter via a retail store, betting option or the online site. You must use the app. Follow this link: https://www.tab.co.nz/hosted-group/BGPAID2024 which will take you direct to enter. Alternatively: 1. You need to go to the TAB App and bottom right you will find ‘More’. 2. Top left you will see ‘Boys Get Paid’ – click on this. 3. You will see ‘Boys Get Paid’ under groups. If it asks for a joining code that is BGPAID2024 or BGPAID24 4. Once you have joined that you will see ‘The Pot’. 5. Select The Pot and join it and you can follow the steps to add funds. Copy That Perth-bound Dual New Zealand Cup winner Copy That will stand at stud in Western Australia. The $2m earner will be based in Perth from the end of April . The eight-year-old was retired from racing in September 2023 after winning 33 starts, including the Race by Grins two years ago. Another Ray Green-trained pacer is also on the move, with Frisco Bay heading to North America following his last start second to Jolimont in the Lincoln Farms Founders Cup at Alexandra Park on March 14. Milestones for Hackett-Wallis Two milestones were recorded in one race when the Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett-trained Courmayeur won at big odds in the MVS Waikato Country Cup Handicap Trot at Cambridge last Friday night. It gave the husband and wife training combination their 377th win together and it was Wallis’ 700th overall and Hackett’s 500th. Wallis has had 323 on her own account between 1999 – 2012 while Hackett had 123 on his own account between 1988 and 2012. The pair had three wins on the night 75 wins in North America While Take After Me’s record-breaking 400th start got plenty of attention last week he was not alone in racking up some big numbers. In North America former top-liner J L Cruze had career win number 75 in Maryland. The 14-year-old’s winning time was 1:54.4. Take After Me is also 14 with 21 wins from his 400 starts. His third at Ashburton on March 26 may have delayed his retirement with Fred Scott saying no firm decision’s been made yet about his racing future. Winning USA debut for former Kiwi After having two wins for the Telfers in this country, Aardie B Miki has made a winning debut in the USA. He won his race at Yonkers in New York in 1:53.8 for top driver Jason Bartlett. Aardie B Miki headed to Australia last year and won seven times between June and November there before heading to North America. Meanwhile defending champion Catch A Wave is on track for the $1m Nullabor in Perth on April 25. The six-year-old driven by Kate Gath was too good at Geelong in 1:51.9, equaling the track record. It was a bounce back performance from Catch A Wave after a disappointing effort in the Miracle Mile. His last half was timed at 53.8 – not bad considering he raced much of it three wide. Club News : Invercargill The Invercargill Harness Racing Club hosts the annual Regent Race Day at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Thursday (3 April). A nine-race programme commences with the first race at 2.00pm. Regent Car Court and many of those that they have a business relationship with support the day of exciting harness racing while the programme also consists of a heat of the Southern Belle Speed Series supported by VetSouth Equine. Admission to the course on the day will be free. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Michael Guerin Champion horseman Luke McCarthy has only one plan for Don Hugo after securing the perfect barrier in Friday’s $1million Race by Betcha at Cambridge. “We will be leading and staying there,” he says matter-of-factly. That was the New South Wales superstar driver’s only tactic after Don Hugo, the Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile champion, drew barrier 2 for the slot race over 2200m mobile, suggesting he will be the early leader. His arch rival and best horse in the race Leap To Fame drew the outside of front line, with Merlin (barrier 7) and Don’t Stop Dreaming (5) drawn between the two Aussie big guns. The latter three will all move in one starting spot if emergency Mo’Unga, as looks likely, doesn’t gain a start from barrier 4. Before the draw McCarthy said the most important factor for him was drawing inside Leap To Fame, who he says the still the best horse in the race and deserves to be favourite. “But now we have the draw to try and lead if he can sit parked outside us and beat us he is just too good. “He couldn’t do that in the Miracle Mile and it will be hard to do here,” said McCarthy from Cambridge. Leap To Fame’s best chance looks to be sitting parked and trying to outstay Don Hugo but that has understandably been his Achilles Heel at the highest level in the last two years, sometimes through a lack of gate speed but also because of a succession of poor draws. Merlin’s co-trainer Barry Purdon suggests while he wasn’t thrilled with his wide draw for the defence of the title he won last season it could work out better than first glance would suggest. “He could roll forward and maybe get the back of Leap To Fame if he ends up parked and that would be okay,” said Purdon. He and training partner Scott Phelan also have Duchess Megxit in the race drawn the ace and looking a chance to trail the potential leader Don Hugo, giving her a place chance. Immediately after the drawing the TAB bookies opened Leap To Fame the $2.30 final field favourite, with Don Hugo at $2.50. While there was little movement in that market favouritism for the $600,000 TAB Trot changed then changed again after varied fortunes in the draw for the best trotters from each country. Oscar Bonavena and The Locomotive went into the draw as the $3 equal favourites but when Oscar drew barrier 3 and The Locomotive was given barrier 6, Oscar Bonavena moved into favouritism. That didn’t last long. Punters quickly rallied for The Locomotive, clearly believing he will still have the gate speed to cross to the lead and trainer-driver Brad Hewitt made it clear that was still his plan. So after the dramatic few hours he was back as the $2.70 favourite with Oscar Bonavena out to $2.80, with Arcee Phoenix $7 into $5.50 after drawing barrier 4. View the full article -
Alas Brodies idea is don't have BIG scale racing (like the brilliant slot races) Don't have Manawatu for the battlers ( as not enough punting is done on those race apparently ) don't have harness racing in the North Island ? Cambridge Midweeks were 'bad' Auckland race for too much money because they are 'elite' . so on so forth Manawatu has been excellent at getting young drivers like Harrison Orange, Wilson House, and young Crystal Hackett and some other juniors a HEAP of drives , to improve their technique and judgement. That not important to many punters BUT it is critical for the industry to have competent competitor drivers coming through. (too many old codgers go round in NZ all the time ) I wouldn't punt on them lol 🤣 You CANNOT HAVE Huge fields on the Big South Island tracks with the poor horses flogged over long distance racing. They do a lot of that shit from the 'out-dated standing starts too. it's a dinosaur of a race model. What Brodster hasn't considered is that these BIG south Island grass tracks fields may be better odds for his place punt or whatever the hell he does, BUT they are technically very slow horses. I think they race for too much money already 😁😂. QLD puts on slow race fields for the 2.00 minute mile horses every week for about an average of $6000. doubt anyone punts on them BUT they run them !! It's a SPORT. you need participants. they need somewhere to start every week. (in a vain effort to Pay their Way) Surely the Fast horses should ( and DO ) race for the BIG bucks. A better investment than running $16 k maidens at Addington or the like. The maidens should just run for 10k and pop that extra cash left over into a BRAND NEW 2 year old slot race !!💰( another great idea for progress in the sport by Gamma 😉 ) and will happen I reckon . HRNZ doing a Sterling job . Best slot race yet coming up this Friday. The BETCHA race. One of BEST RACE fields EVER ASSEMBLED . I would say the Best ever in Southern Hemisphere. and people bitch and moan about a miserly 400 k ?? 😋 that is so funny .The galloping people must think harness are complete Tight-Arses haha 😅
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