MASTER LAVROS UNLUCKY Promising intermediate-grade squaregaiter Master Lavros was luckless in his first open class attempt in Stig’s Rowe Cup at Auckland on Friday, May 3. Trainer Mark Jones stepped the big Sundon gelding brilliantly off the unruly to be in the first four rounding the first turn. He crossed to the markers four back, then was shuffled five back after early breaker and eventual winner Stig strode to the top for David Butt with 1200m left. Master Lavros was badly held up until the closing stages, running into fifth late behind Stig, fast late finisher Springbank Sam, Boizel, …
Saveapatrol wins Autumn Futurity
SAVEAPATROL WINS FUTURITY Saveapatrol, backed down to $1.30 win favouritism,l comprehensively delivered in the $25,000 Caduceus Club Of Southland Autumn Futurity at Invercargill on Saturday, March 24. Even from the outside of the front row and easing back to last early, the robust Christian Cullen-Rondel Franco geldingl was clearly a class above his rivals. Trainer Mark Jones had him on the move mid-race, taking control a lap out from Treasure Hunter and Deano Robyn. Saveapatrol left his rivals gasping turning for home, putting three lengths on the pack. He knocked off a touch inside the final 100m, with …
Offtocullect first for sire
OFFTOCULLECT 1ST FOR SIRE Offtocullect _ who came from the outside of the back row to credit Gotta Go Cullect with his first siring win at Forbury Park on Thursday, March 8 _ will be given time to mature by trainer Mark Jones. “He’s a nice tough two-year-old, but at this stage we’ll give him a break,” Mark said of the winning debutante. “There’s been a bit of interest in him, so he may be sold.” Offtocullect, after improving mid-race to lead over the last lap, was under seige from a sprint lane run by trailer Ahorsewithnoname in the …
Jackaroo Bromac _ good autumn form
SECOND COUNTRY FINAL WIN Mark Jones notched his second Canterbury Regional Country Cups Final training and driving win when he reined favourite Jackaroo Bromac to score in the $25,000 Woodlands Stud-sponsored Final at Rangiora on Sunday, April 7. The Burnham trainer earlier set former smart racemare Crystal Star to win the 2010 Regional Country Cups Final when it was formerly held at Addington. Jackaroo Bromac stretched his unbeaten sequence to three since joining the Overport Lodge team with another comprehensive victory. From the inside of the 10m line, the McArdle entire settled just worse than midfield but Mark …
Swedish trotter for Southern Star
HRV, Media Release, Thursday, June 27, 2013 SWEDISH CHAMPION FOR GREAT SOUTHERN STAR Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) is excited to announce that Swedish Three and Four-Year-Old Breeders Crown Champion, Yield Boko, is on his way Down Under to tackle Australasia’s best Trotters in the 2014 Great Southern Star. The winner of 22 from his 50 race starts, stakes earnings of more than AUD$800,000 and a fastest lifetime mark of 1:55.1 over 2140m, Yield Boko boasts credentials which rank him as one of the greatest Trotters ever imported to race in Australia. And …
Ex-Overport Lodge Aust. wins
EX-OVERPORT LODGE WINNERS Former Overport Lodge pacer Alex, now racing in New South Wales as Im Alex, notched his third win in eight Australian starts at Menangle on Monday, June 24. Still raced by Queensland owner Greg Brodie, the Courage Under Fire gelding overcame the seven gate to win the Industry Day This Sunday Pace in 1:58 (1609m), the last 800m in 57.7s and final 400m in 28.6s. Alex, now trained by Peter Walsh, reduced his lifetime mile best to 1:54.8 when scoring his second Menangle win on April 23. Ex-Overport Lodge trotter Beau Brummell notched his sixth …
HRNZ election results
Media ReleaseThursday 27 June 2013 RESULTS OF 2013 HRNZ BOARD ELECTIONS 1. Following are the results of the 2013 Harness Racing New Zealand Inc Board elections: North Island Board – one vacancy Mr Alan Brown (Manawatu) 54 Mr Steve Phillips (Pukekohe) 69 South Island Board – two vacancies Mr Dennis Bennett (Amberley) 39 Mr Erin Crawford (Rangiora) 42 Mr Bruce Hutton (Hororata) 27 Mr Garry Lund (Christchurch) 57 Mr John Rogers (Westport) 27 Mr Brian Wastney (Blenheim) 54 2. Accordingly duly elected to the Board are Messrs Phillips, Lund and Wastney. 3. The Auckland Trotting Club …
Forbury moves to Saturday afternoon
FORBURY PARK TC, SATURDAY, JUNE 22 HRNZ and the NZRB have moved swiftly to co-ordinate re-jigged plans for South Island race meetings this week surrounding the forecast ‘weather bomb’ that will work its way up the island from Wednesday evening. The abandonment of the Canterbury Racing meeting at Riccarton Park on Saturday, due to weather conditions, has opened up an opportunity for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting to shift on to that date and will no longer be held on Thursday night, as scheduled. Despite the date shift for the Forbury Park meeting there is still a …
HRNZ Media Bites, June 12
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, June 12 After the hectic period that was the Harness Jewels normal transmission resumes for the winter period. Below is what we see as the noteworthy bits. David Butcher – World Drivers Championship: After two days of competition David Butcher is running 8th in WDC 2013. He’s up four places from Day One’s disaster and isn’t that far off second after a win and a placing at Caen. Leader, Frenchman Pierre Vercryusse has a 40-point advantage so he’ll take all sorts of running down. It is literally anyone’s guess for second at this stage with 11 of …
David Butcher wins in France
DAVID BUTCHER WINS WORLD DRIVERS HEAT After a luckless start, NZ driver David Butcher won the opening race on day two of the World Drivers Championship at Caen, France, early Tuesday. After tailing the field after day one at Reims, David came out all guns blazing in the day’s opener, leading with Vanuatu to win by a big space and get the WDC monkey off his back. He was unlucky in the second event, failing to work clear from the trail, finishing sixth, then recorded a third in the third heat. Points after day two were: Pierre Vercruysse …