HRNZ MEDIA BITES, APRIL 10, 2013 Christen Me not going to Miracle Mile: Despite a crushing win in the Superstars Championship last Friday at Addington Christen Me is going to stay home and tackle the features at Auckland before the Harness Jewels. That’s great news for Kiwi race fans, not so much for potential race rivals. There is the prospect of a clash with Gold Ace in the Messenger and Taylor Mile though. The two races opened up to four and five years will make for an interesting series of races but it will likely be a four-year-old that dominates …
HRNZ Media Bites, April 3
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, APRIL 3, 2013 Blitzthemcalder set to take on gun Trotting Derby field: This Friday’s Seelite Windows & Doors NZ Trotting Derby shapes up as a very strong one. The Aussie Blitzthemcalder will add significant flavour to the race and it promises to be a cracker with no clear top dog amongst the sophomore trotters right now. Clearly the likes of Habibti, Royal Aspirations, Sheemon and the Purdon trio of Paramount Queen, Saratoga and Sunoflindenny will put up a tough fight. Blitzthemcalder is staying at Mark Purdon’s All Stars Stables while in Canterbury. Chris Alford will take …
HRNZ Media Bites, March 27
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, MARCH 27, 2013 Vulcan returns home with a more incredible Group 1 strike rate: Vulcan as a racehorse is becoming a bizarre story. He’s been in scintillating form of late, which culminated in his Great Southern Star win last Saturday but when you dig deeper into his record that’s where the unusual reveals itself. It’s fair to say there have been few horses in history that have picked better times to win than Vuclan. The winner of 16 career races, he now has a remarkable Group 1-winning strike-rate. A staggering 9 of his 16 wins …
Jellignite paces 1:52.4 at Menangle
JELLIGNITE WINS IN 1:52.4 (My) Jellignite sprinted sharply fresh to win in career best 1:52.4 mile to take out the C5-7 $A7000 National Trotguide Pace at Menangle, NSW, on Tuesday, February 12. The 5YO Courage Under Fire gelding was given a good trip, trailing on the outer by Ashlee Siejka, and stormed past leader Angel Gabrielle in the run home to win untested by 7.9 metres. The leaders charged over the opening 800m in 55.1s and were running on empty tanks in the straight, the leaders running the last 400m in 28.8s. Fellow Kiwi Victors Delight settled four …
Invercargill January reviews, 2013
INVERCARGILL REVIEW, JAN. 26, 2013 Burnham trainer-driver Mark Jones will give promising 3YO filly squaregaiter Juneamy Castleton her chance against the best 3YO boys in the $25,000 Neumanns Bandag Hambletonian Classic at Ashburton on February 9. She was one of four driving wins at the Invercargill meeting on Saturday January 26 for Mark _ also scoring easily with unbeaten stablemate Saveapatrol, while he also won a Nevele R Fillies Heat with Flying Anvil, and the 1-2 win trot with Whitney. “We’ll have a go at the Hambletonian with Juneamy and see where she’s at,” Mark said. Juneamy Castleton is …
More head to Aussie
MORE HEAD FOR AUSSIE Former New Zealand Trotting Oaks winner Commander Jewel is to return for a second crack at the Australian scene, this time in New South Wales. Canterbury owner “Jim” McDonald has struck up a 50-50 deal with New South Wales horseman Leon Jurd, which will see the big CR Commando-In De Fence mare joining the trot ranks at Menangle. Commander Jewel was tried in Victoria by Mr McDonald at the end of her NZ 3YO racing. She returned to Canterbury after winning once from six starts in Australia. Now five, Commander Jewel has picked up a further …
Itz Nosurprises wins NSW & QLD Oaks
ITZ NOSURPRISES IN NSW OAKS Itz Nosurprisesthere has proven a terrific buy out of the Mark Jones stable after taking out the $A200,000 Form 700m New South Wales Oaks at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on Super Sunday, March 3, 2013. Given every chance handy outer by driver Luke McCarthy, the daughter of McArdle and Itz Queen Of Newyork sprinted brilliiantly in the run home to win going away from Frith and Im Smouldering. She rated 1:59.5 rate for the mobile 2400m, the leaders running their last 40m in 26.9s. Itz Nosurprisesthere was was sold by owners Bob and Nola McMeeking …
Superstars race still only for 4YOs
SUPERSTARS CHAMPIONSHIP REMAINS 4YO EVENT The Group 2 $40,000 Resource Recycling Technologies NZ Ltd 4YO Superstars Championship to be run at Addington Raceway on Friday 5th April will remain a contest for 4yo pacers only, as has been the case since its inception in 1982. Addington’s Racing Manager Brian Rabbitt said that some races for 4yo’s had undergone changes that allowed 5yo’s to compete along with their year younger counterparts but the Superstar’s Championship would continue as a race for 4yo’s only in the immediate future. “As was last year this race will be staged over the 2600 metres from …
HRNZ Media Bites, March 20
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, MARCH 20, 2012 Great Southern Star this Saturday: The Great Southern Star, to be held at Melton on Saturday night for the trotters has to be one of the most exciting harness racing events for some time. As fate would have it with I Can Doosit missing and Stig being out of sorts too the heats and final scenario is an exciting one littered with possibilities. The Great Southern Star is the Australasian version of Sweden’s Elitlopp. Heats will be run at Melton at 9.00pm and 9.33 NZ time on Saturday night with the final run around …
HRNZ Media Bites, March 5
HRNZ MEDIA BITES, MARCH 5, 2012 Huge clashes loom on Auckland Cup night: A Group racing bonanza awaits on Friday night at Alexandra Park. The Trillian Trust Auckland Cup will be the highlight of the night with so many stars involved but of course the Woodlands Northern Derby will be riding side-saddle and offers up a mouth-watering clash, as Adore Me takes on the best colts and geldings in the land. Aside from the Cup and Derby the 2YOs aim up at their first major targets for the year. The Group 1 Breckon Bloodstock Young Gun Cardigan Bay …