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    • Aussie invaders Keayang Zahara and Jilliby Ballerini have made their presence felt in the latest Renwick Farms Dominion Trot rankings.   Fresh from running one-two in the Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint at Melton, the two Margaret and Paddy Lee-trained stablemates are now sixth and seventh on this week’s leaderboard.   The pair were highly impressive on Saturday night, clearing out from what was a stacked line-up.   Last year Keayang Zahara was a dominant winner of all three starts on this side of the Tasman. She now has career record of 17 wins from 18 starts and is now a $2.50 favourite with the TAB to win the Dominion.   Jilliby Ballerini meanwhile has climbed six places from 13th on the back of her latest performance. She is the second favourite for the Dominion at $3.   The Lees have not made final decisions as to who, if either, of their star trotters will make the trip to Christchurch.   Other movers this week include the Nathan Williamson-trained Hidden Talent who has gone from 18th to 15th following a big third in last week’s Group 3 Dark Horse at Invercargill.   After finishing second in Friday’s Canterbury Classic at Addington, Don’t Stop Dreaming has moved up two places to seventh in the rankings for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup.   Hayden and Amanda Cullen-trained stablemate Vessem was fourth in the same race, and has improved five places to 15th. Tellingly, that puts him inside the cut-off for the $1m feature.   A winner at Alexandra Park on Friday night Jeremiah also gets a big upgrade this week. The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained four-year-old is now at 22nd, up seven spots.   The rankings are updated weekly in the build up to IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day at Addington on Tuesday, November 11 with the final rankings to come out following the Kaikoura Cup meeting on Monday, November 3. Rankings here     View the full article
    • The first horses have been announced for the two $500,000 slot races at Addington Raceway on Show Day (November 14). And they won’t be a surprise to anyone. Top three-year-old trotters Tarragindi and Meant To Be have been confirmed for the Majestic Horse Floats THE ASCENT while the Hill Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY will feature pacing stars Marketplace and Got The Chocolates. The pair clashed at Addington earlier this month with the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained Got The Chocolates prevailing by a neck. But Marketplace, rated as a potential superstar by many, is the $1.75 favourite in the TAB markets to win THE VELOCITY, with Got The Chocolates the second elect at $3.50. In THE ASCENT Tarragindi, who was bred and is trained by Phil Williamson and raced by wife Bev, has won four from 10 while Meant To Be, last year’s star trotter in the 2YO ranks, has won nine from 13 overall and opened his latest campaign with a second to Habibti Pat at Addington last Friday night. The TAB currently has Meant To Be at $4.20 and Tarragindi at $9. The next announcement regarding horses for both races is expected later this week. 2025 will see the second edition of THE ASCENT and THE VELOCITY after they were taken out by Australian superstar Keayang Zahara and Better Knuckle Up last year.       View the full article
    • Each year leading into the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup, IRT has a race night at Addington and in recent times, we have used it to celebrate the many different heroes associated with the great sport of harness racing. We’ve used it to acknowledge legends of our industry – both horse and human – and last year we gave thanks to the Unsung Heroes of the game, those who put in the hard yards behind the scenes such as the stable hands and the volunteers that ensure trial days and race days and nights proceed without a hitch. This year, IRT is excited to be acknowledging the outstanding efforts of those in the Harness Racing media – the people penning the news stories and standing in front of the camera or, working behind it – to bring you the outstanding harness racing coverage that we experience week in and week out. The people who’s passion for the sport goes beyond their different media roles and to add something different to the mix, we have set them a challenge! And, there is one hero of the equine kind that we want to pay a special tribute to, and that is Bettor’s Delight. From August 2009 through to August 2024, Bettor’s Delight boarded a plane each and every season to head to Woodlands Stud where he has carved out his place in history becoming one of the most successful standardbred stallions of the modern era. Now permanently domiciled in New Zealand, we thought it was only fitting to honour him with a race and thank Woodlands Stud for their tremendous support of IRT. This year, each of our media personalities and the team from Woodlands Stud will receive a $300 betting voucher (courtesy of IRT and Entain) to spend as they wish on their race, with all funds earned (and hopefully there is plenty!) going to the New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust. IRT New Zealand’s Richard Cole says, “as the world’s leading equine air freight company, IRT has pioneered global travel for horses with horse welfare always at the forefront of our minds. We are the Official Horse Welfare Partner of Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) and we wanted to do something a little bit different with our racenight leading into the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and, we thought that raising funds for the Horse Ambulance Trust was a great fit. “Hopefully the media team can generate some fun and interest with their bets on Friday night and we can raise some much-needed funds to assist the Horse Ambulance Trust in continuing to provide the outstanding service they do across all equine sectors.” Those attending the race meeting on Friday 24th October will be able to donate directly to the Horse Ambulance Trust with collection buckets in place at all entrances and for those that can’t attend who would like to make a donation, you can do so by clicking here to go directly to the Horse Ambulance Trust Give a Little Donation page. View the full article
    • By Adam Hamilton The hopes of Leap To Fame contesting the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup look to rest on a race at Melton on Saturday night. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon swung a surprise today by putting the champion pacer the final field of six runners for a 2240m free-for-all. And the plan is to run and then decide on the NZ raid. Leap To Fame has passed two major “check points” since his slightly below par third in last Saturday night’s Group 1 Victoria Cup. It was the first time in almost two years he has been beaten twice in a row. The rising seven-year-old has pleased Dixon with his demeanour and appetite since last Saturday night’s race. More crucially, a precautionary blood test taken yesterday came back all clear this morning (Tuesday). But there is one last hurdle to clear. “I’m going to do one more blood (test) with him Thursday before committing to the Saturday night race,” Dixon said. “If that’s good, then we’ll race again this week.” While he will face just five rivals on Saturday night, they include eight-time Group 1 winner Catch A Wave (gate five) and giant-killer Bulletproof Boy, who stunned everyone when he ran down Leap To Fame in the Smoken Up Sprint last Saturday week. Leap To Fame will also start from the outside draw (six) with Catch A Wave in five and Bulletproof Boy four. View the full article
    • By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   For local trainer Brent White the Harness 5000 is literally on his back door step. “There’ll be no float fees that day,” he says. Based at Ashburton Raceway the father-son combo of Brent and Tim White are looking forward to December 21. “It’s a good concept and if we can get some money going back to our owners – why not?” Harness 5000, featuring 12 $60,000 finals, is for trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception and to be eligible horses must compete in at least five race day starts between July 3 – December 9,2025. All races will be over 1700 metres. White could have as many five runners there : Randel Huston P (Peak), Major Doosie (Majestic Son), Snooowgood (Marcoola), Bettor Go Vinnie (Vincent) and Stealers Wheel (A Rocknroll Dance). Right now Major Doosie (pictured above)  is the top ranked qualifier in the 3YO Trotting Colts and Geldings category and White reckons the four race winner could be well suited to the series. “Last year he wasn’t that far behind the good ones Tarragindi and Meant To Be,” says White, “and this is a major target for him pre Christmas.” It’s a similar story with Snooowgood, a winner of one from seven. Her last start was a second at Oamaru last Sunday. She is 11th in the 3YO Trotting Fillies rankings. “She is just below the top three-year-olds and this concept works for horses like her.” “It’s more the top two inches with her,” says White, “she does have a good turn of foot.” Randel Huston P meanwhile is tracking well for December. The six-year-old had three wins in August and has had eight overall and is third in the 5YO and older Trotting Entires and Geldings. “Randel Huston P has always offered a bit but hasn’t delivered a lot sometimes but he has got into a nice vein of form.” “He’s competitive, he’s got good gate speed and he has a good short course record.” Of their other runners Better Go Vinnie is eligible in the 3YO Pacing Colts and Geldings. He’s currently fifth while Stealers Wheel (4YO Pacing Entires and Geldings) has only had one start in the qualification period and may not be able to get to the five start threshold. Every week the Harness 5000 tracker is updated. It shows how any horses have become eligible for the series.  The “168” on the tracker signifies correlation to the maximum number of horses that can compete on the day, based on 12 races of 14 horse fields. Right now the figure is well past that at 230, an increase of 18 in the past week. It is anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate. So far the biggest categories are for the 5YO and older Entires and Geldings. There are currently 490 trotters and 48 pacers. To see the latest Harness 5000 leaderboard click here       View the full article
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