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Aussies return for Dorothy Cutts at Cambridge

Another trans-Tasman battle is looming in the second instalment of the Dorothy Cutts Invitational, sponsored by N40 Racing as part of Cambridge Raceway's Night of Champions on Friday, April 4.The race celebrates Dorothy Cutts' history-making win with Kenworthy at Cambridge in 1979. It marked the first time a female driver had won a full totalisator race in New Zealand.  Four of the 12 drivers who took part last year will return in 2025. They are the North Island-based trio of Nicky Chilcott...

Gath confident ahead of TAB Trot

Andy Gath’s confidence is growing by the day.At first the top Aussie trainer hoped his classy mare Im Ready Jet could be competitive in the $600,000 TAB Trot, but now he thinks she can win it with luck.“It’s like everything is coming together at the right time,” he said. “She’s really in the zone.“We weren’t sure where she was at until about a week or so before she ran first-up this campaign and then she started working well at home.“She’s had the two wins back and her work a...

Leap To Fame on the road to Cambridge

There is no turning back this time.After two aborted trips to NZ last year, champion Aussie pacer Leap To Fame is definitely heading across this time for next Friday’s $1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge Raceway.The first leg of the trip starts when Grant and Trista Dixon take him by road from their Tambourine stables to Sydney on Saturday morning.“It gives him a while to settle again before the flight at 11am Sunday (Sydney to Auckland),” Dixon said.Leap To Fame returned to winning for...

Aussie stars primed for Cambridge

Aussie pacing stars Leap To Fame and Don Hugo both looked fantastic on Saturday night, when winning their final lead-up races for the $1mil The Race by betcha at Cambridge Raceway.Don Hugo was first out, working his way to the lead and winning as he liked in a 1min49.3sec free-for-all mile.The Miracle Mile winner scorched his last quarter in 25.9sec.Leap To Fame was asked to do a lot more and delivered, smashing the Albion Park 1660m track record with a 1min48.6sec mile rate and runaway 23m win....

Seymour confirms NZ trip for Leap To Fame

Leviathan owner Kevin Seymour has dismissed speculation Leap To Fame's New Zealand trip would be aborted.Talk escalated over the weekend after the champion pacer's fantastic second to Don Hugo in the Miracle Mile.But Seymour today confirmed the trip was a goer and Leap To Fame would, as previously indicated, go early to have a lead-up run in the Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge on March 28."We have had a bit to weigh-up, but he's going to NZ," Seymour said."We'd originally planned to get him bac...

Tact McLeod presses claims for The Race

By Adam Hamilton Wanted - a slot in the $1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge's Night of Champions on Friday, April 4.That’s the call from Tact McLeod’s driver and caretaker trainer Anthony Butt after the emerging Kiwi pacer ran a slashing third in Saturday night's  stellar Miracle Mile behind Don Hugo.“That’s where we want to go,” Butt said. “It would be a perfect race for him with his gate speed around the Cambridge track.“I’m so proud of how well he’s stepped into...

Dunstan secures final spot in TAB Trot

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk It could be racing's perfect marriage.Dunstan Horsefeeds has just secured the eighth and final slot for the $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge's Night of Champions on April 4 - and all they need is a horse.And Queensland trainer Graham Dwyer reckons in Not As Promised he has the horse for the big race - and all he needs is a slot.So could be a deal be done?Not so fast, says Dunstan's founder/director Dave Smith."We have a couple on our radar," says Smith, "wi...

Aussie snaps up last slot for $1m The Race by betcha

Big spending Australian Joshua Davine says he's got three horses on his shortlist for the $1m The Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4.Davine's N40 Racing and the high profile Boys Get Paid have secured the 10th and last slot for the big pacing feature on Cambridge's Night of Champions.Each slot is worth $60,000, with the winner taking home $420,000."It's not about the money," says Davine, "it's about being part of something big and the excitement and atmosphere. We will also be donating a com...

Leap To Fame returning earlier than expected

KIWIS will get to see champion Aussie pacer Leap To Fame in the flesh earlier than expected.The six-year-old heads to a title defence in the $1mil Miracle Mile at his next run on Saturday week, then the focus switches to the $1mil The Race by Betcha at Cambridge on April 4.But owner Kevin Seymour said it was “most likely” Leap To Fame would have a lead-up run at Cambridge in the $60,000 Group 2 Waikato Flying Mile on March 28.“Grant will start locking down plans over the next week or so,�...

Cambridge slot races confirmed for 2025

Waikato-Bay of Plenty Harness Racing Incorporated’s two slot races, The Race and TAB Trot have been confirmed for 2025. The races will headline the renowned Night Of Champions meeting at Cambridge Raceway on Friday April 4.“We’re excited to confirm both races will be run again,” Cambridge Raceway CEO Dave Branch said. “It will be the fourth edition of The Race and the second running of the TAB Trot. “This meeting has become a highlight of the Australasian Harness Racing cal...

Merlin magic in $1m Race by Grins

By Jonny Turner, HRNZMerlin was more than magical in his national record-smashing win in the $1,000,000 The Race by Grins at Cambridge tonight.The brilliant four-year-old’s star shone even brighter than ever before when he downed a classy field in emphatic style.Merlin drew outside his arch-rival Don’t Stop Dreaming which set him a huge task to win according to most of the pre-race hype.But it proved to be up a task the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained star was well and truly up for.“...

Just Believe's "huge achievement" in winning the TAB Trot

By Michael Guerin, HRNZThe little Aussie horse who has been all over the world Just Believe needed to produce a world class performance to win Friday’s $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge.The Victorian overcame having the hardest run sitting parked to head home an Australian domination of the locals, clawing his way past Callmethebreeze and Queen Elida for a stunning victory in the 2200m mobile.He was driven to perfection by Greg Sugars, whose wife Jess Tubbs trains Just Believe, as he allowed the ...

Alford’s warning re Queen Elida

Champion driver Chris Alford has warned punters to drop off star trotting mare Queen Elida at their own peril.Alford, who recently topped an Australasian record 8000 career wins, says Queen Elida is as good as any trotter he’s driven and getting back close to her very best just in time for Friday night’s stellar inaugural $NZ600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge Raceway.Remarkably, the winner of 34 races and almost $800,000 is an outsider even from the coveted pole position.“I can’t work it out,...

Speak The Truth impresses in final workout

Queensland trainer Shannon Price wants to win the $NZ1mil The Race By Grins not just be an excited part of it.Not perturbed by a wide draw, Price is growing in confidence her stable star can upstage a hot field and go two spots better than his terrific recent third in the Miracle Mile at Menangle.“Everything has gone well with his first big trip away and settling in at Barry’s (Purdon) place,” Price said. “We just wanted to see how he went in his final fast workout, which he had this mor...

Ideal draw for Arcee Phoenix

Emerging training force Chris Svanosio is pinching himself about just being involved in Friday night’s $NZ600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge Raceway.Add to the fact his exciting young trotter Arcee Phoenix has drawn ideally in gate two and the Victorian horseman admits his anticipation is “off the charts.”“Here I am against Purdon, Alford, Sugars and the Hopes in the richest trotting race ever run in the Southern Hemisphere, of course I’m excited,” he said.“As a stable we’ve worked ha...

Callmethebreeze primed for biggest test

Trainer Anton Golino says brilliant European import Callmethebreeze is as good as he’s had him since joining his stable as he prepares for Friday night’s $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge.Callmethebreeze, a multiple European Group One winner, has raced five times “Down Under” for three wins and a second.And he’s thrived since arriving in NZ about a week ago.“He’s really well. He’s handled the trip well, no hiccups, and has settled in nicely,” said Golino, the head trainer for the ...

Rock N Roll Doo out of The Race By Grins

Gifted Victorian pacer Rock N Roll Doo is out of the $NZ1mil The Race By Grins.But there is a silver lining to the heartbreak for owner Brendan James, trainer Mick Stanley and caretaker trainer Cran Dalgety.Rock N Roll Doo is staying in NZ for two, maybe even four feature races and he’d shown enough before his untimely hoof abscess to convince Dalgety he was to any horse in NZ at the moment.Days of hope and anguish came to an end with disappointment this morning (Saturday) when Dalgety officia...

Rock N Roll Doo in doubt for Night of Champions

Owner Brendan James is almost resigned to the fact an untimely and lingering hoof abscess will force Rock N Roll Doo out of the $NZ1mil The Race By Grins at Cambridge Raceway next Friday.The former Victoria Cup and Len Smith Mile winner was scratched from a key lead-up race, the Gr.2 McMillian Equine Feeds Pacers Flying Mile Pace, at Cambridge last night.“I can’t see how he’s going to be right in a week,” James said. “I know we’ve still got a bit of time on our side and things can im...

Rock N Roll Doo's race against time for The Race by Grins

A hoof abscess threatens to derail star Victorian pacer Rock N Roll Doo’s quest to win tomorrow week’s $NZ1mil The Race By Grins at Cambridge Raceway.Caretaker trainer Cran Dalgety had to scratch the former Victoria Cup winner from tonight’s $NZ60,000 McMillian Equine Feeds Pacers Flying Mile Pace at Cambridge when he was “quite lame” this morning.And now it’s a question of when the abscess will burst as to whether Dalgety and regular trainer Mick Stanley can have Rock N Roll Doo ri...

Price excited for NZ raid

Queensland trainer Shannon Price is so excited about Speak The Truth's looming NZ raid, she's stretching it out.Price revealed her Miracle Mile placegetter would now definitely stay on for the Taylor Mile and Messenger.And she's already planning another Kiwi trip for the huge NZ Trotting Cup in November, but more on that later.Speak The Truth, one of the emerging stars of Aussie harness, showed he was right where Price wanted him ahead with a sparkling Albion Park trial yesterday. He h...

Lilley sets the record straight with Queen Elida

Lots of Aussies will tell you star trotting mare Queen Elida has returned to NZ below her best, but trainer Brent Lilley wants to set the record straight.Yes, the stats say Queen Elida hasn’t been her dominant self and Lilley concedes she’s had some issues, but the top former Kiwi horseman says his stable star will be “right back to her best” for the inaugural $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge Raceway on Friday week.Queen Elida has raced nine times this season for three wins and three placi...

Rock N Roll Doo steps out at Cambridge

Caretaker trainer Cran Dalgety admits Thursday night will be a big learning curve for Aussie raider Rock N Roll Doo.The former Victoria Cup and Len Smith Mile winner opens his NZ raid from a back row draw in the star-studded $NZ60,000 Gr.2 McMillian Equine Feeds Pacers Flying Mile.“He hasn’t been here long, but he's a big, raw, rubber-neck sort of fella and we’re going to learn a lot more about him in this race,” Dalgety said.“I’ve been chatting a lot with Mick (Stanley, trainer) and...

Rating the Aussie raiders heading to Cambridge

Doing your form for Night Of Champions? Adam Hamilton shares his take on the Aussie Raiders below. The strongest team of Aussie-trained raiders for almost 13 years crosses the ditch chasing glory on Night of Champions at Cambridge Raceway on Friday April 12.Four trotters - headed by the globally acclaimed pair Just Believe and Callmethebreeze - make-up the majority of the field in a sensational and inaugural running of the $600,000 TAB Trot.And multiple Group One-winning pacing pair Better ...

Tubbs pair won't race in NZ prior to Night of Champions

Trainer Jess Tubbs has opted to tune-up Just Believe and Better Eclipse at home rather than have a lead-up race in NZ ahead of Night of Champions.The glamour pair are booked a flight from Melbourne to Auckland next weekend and could have run in suitable races at Cambridge the following night.Instead, Tubbs will give the glamour pair their final lead-up races at Melton on Saturday night.“Greg (Sugars) and I just felt racing them so soon after getting to NZ was a bit of a risk,” Tubbs said.“...

Final horse confirmed for $1m Race by Grins

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News DeskSouth Coast Arden has returned home to New Zealand, ahead of what will be his second tilt at The Race By Grins at Cambridge on Friday, April 12.His inclusion means the 10-horse field for the $1m race is now complete.The seven-year-old will race in the slot secured by Kennard Bloodstock, who just happen to be part of the gelding's ownership group."It's pretty clean isn't it?," says Philip Kennard of the arrangement."We did look at other horses, we ran second in ...