Category Archive

Barrett, now in Queensland for winter racing, paced a 1:52.7 career best mile rate win over 1660m at Albion Park, Brisbane, on Saturday, June 15. Catch-driven by Anthony Butt for trainers, Mark Jones and Aaron Goadsby, Barrett trailed from the ace draw in a C2 and faster pace and was too good along the sprint lane. Barrett held fellow ex-Kiwi pacer Tennyson Bromac, the latter now racing for the Grant Dixon stable, by 2.9 metres. The Australian-bred Barrett, by champion sire Bettors Delight from Priceless Gem (Art Major-My Ami Lee, by Safely Kept), was recording his first win on Australian …

FOG CAUSES HEADACHES FOR JEWELS VISITORS By Garrick Knight The relentless overnight fog which plagued Christchurch on Friday night and Saturday morning has affected the visiting contingent for next Saturday’s Harness Jewels. Three of the six Australian invitees landed in Auckland on Saturday night but were unable to continue on to Christchurch as planned. A further two Aussie hopes, plus three northern runners were also grounded, including the second favourite for the 3YO Ruby, Tickle Me Pink. It is a setback of at least 48 hours for the horses with the next flight due to depart Auckland in the early …

STYLISH MEMPHIS OUTSPRINTS MISS RUBY SUNSHINE Stylish Memphis and Miss Ruby Sunshine hit out solidly in their Addington “pre-Jewels” trial on Saturday, May 25. The Overport Lodge stablemates have front row draws for the $150,000 Terror To Love ‘Jewels Winner’ 2YO Diamond next Saturday, but will require luck in a hot juvenile fillies field. Lulu Le Mans, back from New South Wales for the Australian partnership of Mark Jones and Aaron Goadsby, is a third stable runner for the Diamond. Stylish Memphis, a lightly-raced sister to former stable stand-out Delightful Memphis, trailed Miss Ruby Sunshine in Saturday’s three-horse trial and …

STYLISH MEMPHIS 7th WINNER FOR DAM   Delightfulmemphisn, at the Meadowlands in the USA , couldn’t match the NZ win of younger sister Stylish Memphis at Winton less than 24 hours earlier, but it was a good weekend for Christchurch breeder, Wayne Higgs. Stylish Memphis, raced by Mr Higgs from the Overport Lodge stable of Mark Jones, was a 2YO winner, second-up, in 1:58.7, adding to the growing record of her dam, Memphis Melody. Former flagship Mark Jones-prepared mare Delightful Memphis was however race-timed in 1:50.4 with her third in a $US30,000 mares pace for the Nifty Norman stable. Late …

MISS RUBY SUNSHINE 7th IN JEWELS RANKING Miss Ruby Sunshine should be safely assured of a Harness Jewels Diamond start at Addington on June 1 after winning at Forbury on Thursday, May 9. The daughter of Sunshine Beach moved to seventh spot among the eligibles for the $150,000 2YO fillies diamond with her deserved maiden win. Overport Lodge junior reinswoman Sheree Tomlinson drove a cool race behind Miss Sunshine, bringing her home from three back on the markers. She moved one off to find racing room turning for home, then angled back to the inside. Miss Ruby Sunshine, full of …

Further IRT Harness Jewels Australian invitations issued Following last week’s announcement of the first two Australian invites for the IRT Harness Jewels (Lulu Le Mans and Major Occasion), Harness Racing New Zealand and Addington Raceway are thrilled to now confirm our three latest Australian competitors. Pete’s Big Jim (3yo Emerald), Falcon Stride (4yo Emerald) and Majestic Player (4yo Ruby) will represent their homeland in this year’s edition of the Jewels. Shane and Lauren Tritton will bring back Pete’s Big Jim, who was a gallant second beaten just a neck by Another Masterpiece last year, and talented four-year-old gelding Falcon Stride …

SAM OTTLEY GAINS RICH WIN WITH ONE CHANGE Samantha Ottley made the most of a catch drive behind an All Stars runner to the land the richest win of her career in the $161,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales 2YO Pace at Addington on Friday, May 3. The Overport Lodge reinswoman, and a determined One Change (Bettor’s Delight-Changedown, by Falcon Seelster-Chaangerr), charged home to snatch a nose win over the favourite and All Stars stablemate, Smooth Deal (Tim Williams). It was another win for Sam in the Lone Star colours of co-owner Trevor Casey, and one of three wins on …

FIRST IRT HARNESS JEWELS AUSTRALIAN INVITES HRNZ Media Release,  Monday, April 29, 2019 The first two Australian representatives for the 2019 IRT Harness Jewels have today been confirmed. Lulu Le Mans (2YO Diamond) and Major Occasion (4YO Diamond) have been invited to wear the Australian Jewels colours and compete in this year’s edition of the IRT Harness Jewels, to be held at Addington Raceway in Christchurch on Saturday,  June 1. A Kiwi-bred daughter of Bettors Delight and Elusive Chick, Lulu Le Mans has returned to New Zealand with two wins to her name and also group placings in the Group …

FIRE BUG WINS FIRST-UP AT MENANGLE The Overport Lodge developed filly (Wahs) Fire Bug was an impressive first-up winner at Menangle (NSW) on Tuesday, April 23, in 1:52.2 (1609m) for her new connections. Fire Bug (3f Mach Three-Timeless Perfection), bred by Cavalla Bloodstock and a debut winner at her only NZ start at Winton in 1:55.3 (1609m) on March 23, was subsequently sold out of the Mark Jones stable. Now raced by Scott McDonald from the Peter Hanson stable, (Wahs) Fire Bug was given every chance from the two gate by Luke McCarthy in Tuesday’s Alabar Pace. She trailed Major …

ROCK N JOY DELIVERS AT NARRABRI Rock N Joy relished the sprint trip, first-up, in New South Wales, at Narrabri on Monday. The Mark Jones and Aaron Goadsby-trained mare, backed into $2.90 favouritism late, had a good run through from three on the second row for driver Guy Chappie, quickly finding a one -out and one-back trail. Left in the open a lap and a half out, Chappie made a spirited play for the lead, crossing second favourite Aunty Bessy beginning the final lap. Aunty Bessy was out and challenging again before the home straight, with the two favourites having …