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    • By Jordyn Bublitz  Driving a winner at Cambridge Raceway last night was a “first” for junior driver Alicia Harrison. She drove For Always Arden to take out the Ferguson Racing Thanks Owners and Clients Mobile Pace and while it was her third win since returning to racing after being out of commission for a year due to shoulder surgery it was her first for her “new” boss Tony Herlihy since joining his stables in April.   “I was looking for a change, and the chance to work for Tony came up,” she said, “he’s one of the best there is driving and training, so it was an opportunity I definitely couldn’t pass by.” “I’m loving it, the team’s all been super good to me and the horses are lovely to work with.” Harrison gave the gelding a perfect trip, settling three-back the pegs behind race favourite Eyeliner. At the 400 metre mark the pair found clear air and made a strong bid down the centre of the track, ultimately being too strong for their rivals. “It was good to get the job done,” said Harrison, “I thought he was a nice enough chance if he could trail or get a bit of luck from three back.” It was the four-year-old’s first win four career starts.   Formerly a force in the northern junior driver ranks, Alicia was forced to take a break from the game due to a serious shoulder operation in May last year. “The surgeon wasn’t overly thrilled with my career choice,” she laughed, “it was a full year off of driving, the recovery was pretty brutal, a very slow process.” Since returning to driving in January this year, Harrison has had 16 drives for three winners and a further two placings. She says the plan moving forward is to just keep doing what she loves. “I still really love driving. I’ll keep doing my best when I get the opportunities. I’d really like to train one day but for now I’m happy at Tony’s.” Earlier in the night Bruce Hadley took out the first heat of New Zealand Amateur Drivers’ Championships at Cambridge with the Jeremy Young-trained Billy The Kid. John Kriechbaumer was second and Alan Edge third in what was a thrilling finish. The championships head to Addington tonight (Friday) and conclude at Addington on Sunday.            View the full article
    • By Jonny Turner  Northview Ocean completed an epic journey to the winner’s circle at Ascot Park on Thursday. The win may have seemed like a routine victory for the mare, who justified her strong backing when scoring for trainer Tyler Dewe, driver Mark Hurrell, and breeder-owner Cleland Murdoch. But over the past year, Northview Ocean’s chances of even making it to the races looked bleak at times. After making a strong start to her career, the pacer was found to have a cracked pelvis bone, with her condition quickly deteriorating. “When it happened, she was in a bad way — she could barely stand — but the vets did a great job with her,” Dewe said. “She ran second first-up and we had a pretty good opinion of her. She beat Ruby Roe in one of her early learners’ heats.” “But after the broken pelvis, we probably didn’t think we would even make it back to the races.” “Cleland could have sent her straight to the broodmare paddock, knowing she was a nice horse to breed from, but full credit to him for allowing us to give her another go.” “She probably won’t be the horse we thought she was early on, but in saying that I think she can still do a nice job.” “Whatever happens, to come back and win after going through all that is great for Cleland.” Northview Ocean looked to score easily after finding the lead in the middle stages, which has earned her another winter start. “I do want to turn her out, because I’m hoping with a good spell she will be able to get stronger,” Dewe said. “After everything she has been through, it has been hard to keep condition on her this prep.” “Mark said she jogged it today, so we will give her another start and go from there.” Dewe credited driver Rory McIlwrick for his work as Northview Ocean attempted to make it back to the track and into the winner’s circle.  “Rory has done a lot of work with her and he’s done a great job.” Northview Ocean scored in the turquoise and white silks formerly used by Ascot Park trainer Murray Faul. Dewe took over the colours after Faul retired from training, having prepared winners including multiple feature race winner Windermere Girl. The race prior to Northview Ocean’s victory was the Thank You Murray Faul Mobile Pace. The event acknowledged Faul’s service to the Invercargill Harness Racing Club, which would rival any contribution made in harness racing or any other sport. Faul recently finished his tenure on the club’s committee, marking 81 years of service.  He began working on the semaphore board at Invercargill Harness Racing Club’s meetings, before he eventually joined the club’s committee. The 96-year-old has made a significant contribution to harness racing in Southland, having served as judge at southern meeting and in many other administrative roles. View the full article
    • Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column. by Brittany Graham  With less than two weeks until the annual NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale, it seemed the perfect opportunity to reflect on some of the more ‘shrewd’ purchases out of that sale ring. This year’s event will be run alongside the thoroughbred sale, which opens the opportunities to an even wider audience in 2025.   Christopher Dance – $8,000 Before he was Group 1 winning WA Derby winner Christopher Dance, lot 100 at the 2021 NZB Weanling Sale was knocked down to an $8000 bid. The Son of Sweet Lou out of a Bettors Delight mare was presented by Woodlands Stud as a first foal. Showing immense promise as a young horse, he ran a narrow second in the 2024 Great Northern Derby before being recruited by Team Bond in Perth. He made an instant impression, winning his first four starts including a dominant Group 1 WA Derby success in November last year. Before being exported to the United States earlier this year, his Australasian bank balance sat at a tick over $200,000 which will no doubt but added to once he steps out in Northern Hemisphere.   Kiss – $20,000 Renowned for his sharp yearling sale purchases, Dean Shannon proved he had an eye for a weanling bargain too when picking up Kiss as a part of the 2021 sale. She garnered her fair share of interest off the page of a stacked pedigree, and by being a correct individual, although the $20,000 price tag now looks astute. Tested against the very best of her division as a two and three-year-old, she herself changed hands midway through 2024 before joining Emma Stewart in Victoria. Shortly thereafter she was able to bag a Group 1 placing when second behind fellow kiwi bred mare Coastal Babe in the Victoria Oaks. Her crowning moment however came in the Vicbred Super Series 3yo Fillies Final where she took home a $50,000 winning cheque, that now sits alongside her $195,000 lifetime bank balance. Now a four-year-old, she is bound for another feature race tilt in Queensland in the coming weeks.   Heat Seeker – $42,000 A standout of the 2019 sales, plenty of smart judges were on the son of Sweet Lou which saw his price swell to a very respectable $42,000 when the gavel came down. Winning two races in the South Island for Stephen Boyd, he was subsequently purchased by the late Tony Veivers and sent across to Perth where he was subsequently known as ‘Wasa Heat Seeker’. He found his sweet spot however in Queensland with Nathan Dawson where he became a short course specialist, winning five from six starts at Albion Park including the Be Good Johnny Sprint. Quickly snapped up by North American interests thereafter, he went State-side via Menangle where he added further 1.50 miles to his CV and went down narrowly in 1.49.2. He looks tailor made for the constant American mile racing where he will further add to his $133,000 bank balance. To see the NZB Standardbred Weanling catalogue click here  View the full article
    • Was this post bought to us by "the lowest form of wit" ?
    • its just what he said on another channel. barry lichter wrote an aricle about the club in november 2023. i just had a look agian. he reported in 2023 they has an operating deficit of $733,138,but hey,after depreciation was factored in they only lost $491,970.Chump change really. He reported  that year HRNZ had given them a loan of  $740,000 and members chipped in $220,000,to keep the club operating. but the good news was,they were going to raise a few million from the sale of 34 sections. but they couldn't sell the sections until they built a new stable block. I guess that meant the current stables were on the land being sold. so that was 2023. I can't find anything about 2024 and whether their optimism came to fruition,which seems a bit odd.   But lets look at the positives.since 2023. Their flagship,the Race,which  drained their coffers in 2023,instead drained hrnz coffers in 2024,with Hrnz contributing $150,000 to that one slot race...  what a relief,it would have been embarrasing to think cambridge were forced to run a slot race thatdidn't cripple them financially. after all,Those aussie millionaires need to have some spare cash to spend on their way home after they won our races..  and just up the road is auckland,and they're only a phone call away with some advice about how to get out of debt.ah hang on,they may not be the best people to take advice from.No instead they should ring hrnz,they tell us everything is rosey,so they must be doing a great job,so get their advice. Oh,and lets never forget this factor in their favour. This is very important. You here it parroted by all the time.Hamilton,just 20 minutes down the road,have the fourth largest popualtion in nz. I mean ,just look at how well auckland is doing and of course theres cities like wellington,dunedin,tauranga,whcih like hamilton ,all with population numbers in the top 6 cities in nz .Its going great for them Hang on,all those cities closed down harness racing. How did hrnz let that happen with all those people there?.No wrong example,lets think. Ah auckland,thats the one,its doing great as it has a huge population.Thank goodness for the large popualtion base. Oh and cambridge,forever the optimists(maybe thats a north island thing),said in 2023 they were budgeting on turning around that bad year,seemingly by a million dollars in 2024,as they were budgeting on a $218,000 profit. Having read that,i'm going to give them a ring and get the contact details of their numbers man,as i could do with a turnaround in my finances like that. Oh,and cambridge not only had a quick whip around that year amongst hrnz and its members,it also passed the hat to the tab who chipped in $793,000 from a rejuvination fund they dish money out from.Miserly bugga's as the tab had $15 million set aside to dish out to clubs.Seems cambridge were going to spend that wisely,with $393,000 planned to spent on a new in field indicator board. I'm sure the people in the packed stands will appreciate that. Oh,and heres another reason they stated,was going to change for the better in 2023. Seems they lost income form the greyhounds not being run for 5 months of 2023. Thank goodness they have that income to fall back on in years to come. Whats that,they don't,scrub that. oh dear,i need to stop now.My sarcasm is even becoming too much for myself. Its just there is so much material to pick from. Anyways,i think the picture that i have painted,whcih i drew based on barry lichters article of 18 months ago,indicates ,well what chris wood has said on the other channel may in fact be true. His comments were,and about time. but then again,who really knows. mr steele has assured us all is going just fine and everything is fine and dandy.
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