News Briefs : November 13

[Wandering Eyes]

Cup day turnover increases 

Turnover from yesterday’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup was over $7m, up four percent on last year. Latest figures from the TAB show that total turnover was $7.2m for the 12-race programme, the second highest over the past decade, just behind the $7.5m from two years ago. The New Zealand Cup itself attracted turnover of $1.8m, with the Renwick Farms Dominion second at around $600K, up nearly 40 percent on last year. Final crowd attendance numbers have yet to be confirmed though Addington reports a sizeable increase in General Admission, after it lowered prices this year, and was happy with the way the day went.

Don Rae has “pearler” of Cup day 

Harness racing enthusiast Don Rae had a “pearler of a day” as he got to live out a lifetime dream at Addington yesterday. The 67-year-old from Nelson has stage four cancer and on his bucket list was to be an official race owner at the biggest meeting of them all. On hearing of Rae’s wish Tact McLeod’s connections, Trevor Proctor and Diane Dynes, agreed to host Rae and his wife Leonie (pictured above) for the day. Rae was extremely grateful, saying that he loved the experience. “It’s been a terrific day, a pearler.” Tact McLeod ended up seventh in the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup after botching the start. A story on Don Rae’s Cup day experience is expected to be broadcast on TV1’s Seven Sharp tonight.  

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Contrasting fortunes for Grimson runners 

Racing can be a fickle business. Just days before Swayzee completed his IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup double at Addington yesterday trainer Jason Grimson lost another of his top-liners. Just weeks ago Major Moth was a Cup contender. Now he’s been diagnosed with a suspensory ligament injury and is expected to be out for at least six months. He’s had 17 wins in just 35 starts.

300 for Hoffman and Gray 

A race to race double gave Amber Hoffman 300 training victories at Wyndham on Sunday. Life Of Art got her to 299 in the Matai Farm Mobile Pace before Jovial Jay delivered in the Cameron Contracting Limited Mobile Pace. Both were driven by Jonny Cox. Hoffman and Cox had 52 wins in partnership in 2014 and 2015 and she had 99 with Graeme Anderson (2010-13). On her own account there have been 149 successes, bringing her grand total to 300. Yesterday on IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day Brett Gray brought up his 300th training success as well when Julie Jaccka won the Mitre 10 Handicap Trot for driver Nathan Williamson. Gray’s first training success was with Golden Holmes in 2001.    

More wins for Cantfindabettorman

Former Kiwi Cantfindabettorman is in a rich vein of form heading into the Inter Dominions in New South Wales later this month. Bred by Woodlands Stud, the Sweet Lou five-year-old has won three out of six starts since joining Isabel Walsh’s stables. In 2023 Cantfindabettorman won the Inter Dominion Consolation Final when trained by Belinda McCarthy. He was trained by Graeme Anderson in this country before he went across the Tasman in 2022, and the Otago-based trainer retains an ownership in him. Cantfindabettorman has won 18 from 58.

Kiwis winning in Oz 

Former Kiwis dominated Saturday night’s big Albion Park meeting. Emerging training force Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen stole the show by winning five of the 10 races, four of them with Kiwi imports. Star filly Aardie B Miki led the charge with an effortless win in the 3YO Fillies’ Classic, coasting to a 12m win and making six wins from just nine starts moving from NZ to join the Turpin/McMullen barn. The stable’s other Kiwi-bred winners were Mr McLaren (race 10), The Janitor (race eight) and Duke Of Scotland in The Bill Dixon.

Winning form for Lee stables 

Marg Lee, who will have the unbeaten Keayang Zahara in Friday’s Majestic Horse Floats LP THE ASCENT at Addington, won the feature race at Melton on Saturday night, with Jilliby Willow. The daughter of Captaintreacherous had to withstand a late charge from Rakero Rebel. Keayang Zahara is 11 from 11 heading into Friday’s $500,000 slot race and is at short odds to win that, the New Zealand Trotting Oaks and the New Zealand Trotting Derby.  

Club News : Southern Harness   

Three great harness race meetings will end the month of November here in the south with a meeting at Winton this weekend followed by two in Invercargill towards the end of the month. The Winton Harness Racing Club host an eight-race card at Central Southland Raceway in Winton on Sunday (17 November) with the first race due to start at 1.17pm and the last at 5.17pm. For the children there will be free mini jeeps, a bouncy castle and pony rides plus there will be free ice creams for the first one hundred children on course on the day.

Next week the focus moves to Invercargill with the annual Woodlands Stud race day, a twilight meeting from approximately 4.30pm on the evening of Friday 22 November at Ascot Park Raceway. The evening is ideal for group functions with several hospitality spaces still available. To learn more contact Southern Harness Racing’s Promotions Officer, Lindsay Beer at 021 351 499/ lindsay.beer@xtra.co.nz

A few days later on Wednesday 27 November there is another twilight race meeting at Ascot Park Raceway from 4.00pm. 

Admission is free on each of the race days.

 

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