HRNZ MEDIA BITES, FEBRUARY 28, 2012 Inter Dominion news: Sir Lincoln and Chariot King have until Friday to prove their fitness for the final on Sunday. Sir Lincoln had a foot abscess burst out on Monday and Chariot King was off colour following his trial at Menangle on Tuesday. Both horses will be vet checked tomorrow with calls being made then. Fixed Odds out on NZ TAB: the NZ TAB has Fixed Odds out on all races at Menangle on Sunday. Kiwi horses are favoured to win five of the seven Group 1 races on offer. Those favourites are Rozelski …
HRNZ Media Bites, Feb. 26, 2012
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, Feb 26, 2012 Most roads lead to Menangle this Sunday: It’s been built up as one of the all-time great racedays ever in Australia and there’s a good chance it might live up to the hype and the billing. This Sunday afternoon Menangle the NSWHRC host an epic race day that offers stakes totalling AUD$2 million. Of the 10 races New Zealand-trained horses have involvement in nine, which is great. Something like 60 New Zealand-bred horses will compete across the programme, which will give most Kiwi harness fans some sort of vested interest. Of course many of …
NZ Prem. Yearling Saes 2nd day results
NZ PREMIER YEARLING SALES DETAILS, DAY TWO Sales details from the second day of the NZ Premier Yearling Sale in Christchurch on Thursday, February, 21, 2013, were: 184 Dachy (b f Changeover-Heavenly Franco), D J McLeish, Otautau, $4500. 185 Highview Ruler (blk c Elsu-Highview Courage), passed $4000 (res $8500). 186 Myspeedyjet (br c Jereme’s Jet-Hi Speed), G L & Est. J M Smith, Invercargill, $10,000. 187 Ipso Facto (br c Elsu-Honey Ryder), Neil Pilcher, Kaiapoi, $10,000. 188 Star In The Future (b f Jereme’s Jet-In The Future), passed $3000 (res $7000). 189 Lawless (b …
NZ Prem. Yearling Sales first day details
HALF-BROTHER TO SECRET POTION PURCHASED Burnham trainer Mark Jones took home a half-brother by top sire Bettor’s Delight to big-winning filly Secret Potion (p3, 1:57.5 m.r, 1950m) on the first day of the NZ Premier Yearling Sales in Christchurch on Wednesday, February 20. Secret Potion won 10 races including the Northern Oaks and Nevele R Fillies Final of her year for the Mark Purdon stable. Mark Jones went to $34,000 for the colt brother to How Do Mate (13 wins, including nine in Australia) and half-brother to Yeah Baby (1:57.6h, US), the winner of three in NZ and …
Australasian Sale results
MARK BUYS RELATIVE OF GLENFERRIE MAGIC Burnham trainer Mark Jones took home two purchases from the Australasian Classic Yearling Sale at Karaka on Monday, February 18, including a Christian Cullen close relative of former promising filly Glenferrie Magic. He secured Pommie Roy, a colt son from good producing mare T K Swift, for $53,000. T K Swift (Holmes Hanover-Sly Patron), a sister to El Cabalero (1:54.4, US) and a half-sister to Slybye (24 wins), won once at two for Ian and Malcolm Shinn, but was also the runnerup in a Ladyship Stakes and third in a …
HRNZ Media notes, Feb, 19, 2012
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, February 19, 2012 Inter Dominion Grand Final Field Found: After the Australasian-wide heats Terror To Love, Lincoln Royal (Sir Lincoln), Excel Stride, Pub Blitz, Chariot King, Caribbean Blaster, Keeyang Cullen, Jaccka Clive, Mah Sish, Mach Alert, I’m Themightyquinn, Mysta Magical Mach, Washakie (1st Wild Card), Dasher VC (2nd Wild Card). Since that field was announced Dasher VC’s connections have pulled the pin (lame in a fetlock), allowing Bitobliss into the race. An interesting side note of the Inter Dominion heats on Saturday night we have unconfirmed reports that the turnovers on the five heats fell short …
Clubs to receive $1.4 million
CLUBS GET ADDITIONAL $1.4 MILLION Media Release15 February 2013 In welcome news for the harness racing industry, the Board of HRNZ has approved an additional distribution of $1.436 million to clubs. This represents an increase of almost 5% of the annual funding extended to clubs. In announcing this decision, HRNZ Chairman, Gary Allen stated: “Owners will be the key beneficiaries of this decision as this will result in increased returns to industry stakeholders over the next 12 months.” This exciting news follows the New Zealand Racing Board’s (NZRB) recent welcome announcement of an increase …
Jewels now has 5YO categories
HARNESS JEWELS ADD 5YO RACES The HRNZ Board has reviewed the current structure of the Harness Jewels. The key issue considered was the change previously agreed to for 2013 of extending the four year old (4YO) division to include five year olds (5YO). In an exciting change, the Board has resolved that for the 2013 Harness Jewels, three new Listed races will be introduced: • 5YO Emerald for pacing entires and geldings – stake $150,000 • 5YO Diamond for pacing mares – stake $150,000 • 5YO Ruby for trotters – stake $100,000 The …
Mark wins 2nd Yearling Sales race
MARK NOTCHES 2ND SALES RACE WIN Former world champion driver Mark Jones notched the second biggest win of his driving career with Classiesistar in the $225,000 PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales 3YO Open Pace at Auckland on New Year’s eve, 2012. He had no hestitation putting Classiesistar up with the best he’d driven after he cleared out to win Monday’s 3YO feature by a big margin. Mark’s biggest win came in an earlier PGG Wrightson Yearlng Sales Open Pace, a 2YO version 4 1/2 years earlier with the Doug Gale-trained Five Star Anvil when the stake was a whopping …
HRNZ Media Bites, Feb 11, 2012
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, FEBRUARY 11, 2012 Jack Smolenski’s passing: Harness racing lost one of the true legends of the sport late last week. Jack Smolenski, aged 78, died peacefully. Jack was a legend of NZ harness racing of course. A man before his time in many respects. A great horsemen and gentleman of the sport. He did plenty for harness racing away from his work as a trainer/driver. We’ll be paying tribute to Jack Smolenski and his life’s work later on in the week in the Harness Weekly & on hrnz.co.nz. There will no doubt be a huge …