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Green feeling good heading towards million dollar race

by Michael Guerin, HRNZFriday was a good day for Ray Green and he is hoping a Friday a few weeks away is even better.Green’s stable star Copy That got the perfect confidence-boosting win in the $45,000 City Of Auckland Free-For-All at Alexandra Park, easily wresting the lead from Kango early and then controlling the race.He only sprinted up the straight in the hands of Blair Orange to hold out Kango with Smiffy’s Terror third as the leaders dominated, aided by Self Assured and Alta Wiseguy l...

White to drive in The Big Dance

By Joshua Smith, Harness News DeskMatthew White is pinching himself as he prepares to drive in New Zealand’s richest race at Cambridge Raceway next month.The local horseman will partner Nicholas Cage in the $1million Race by Grins (2200m) on April 14 for Cambridge trainers Andrew and Lyn Neal.The four-year-old gelding sealed his place in the rich feature after a convincing 2-1/4 length victory in the Gr.3 Founders Cup (1700m) against a quality line-up at Alexandra Park last Friday.Nicholas Cag...

The Race by Grins sweepstake launched

Waikato Bay of Plenty Harness Inc. have launched sweepstake with a prize pool of $100,000 for The Race by Grins on April 14, at Cambridge Raceway. A total of 2,000 tickets for the sweepstake will be sold at $100 each. Ten tickets will be drawn 6pm on April 6, 2023, each of the 10 tickets drawn will then be allocated a horse, which will run for them in The Race by Grins to win cash prizes.The ticket holder allocated the first placed horse will win $50,000, second $20,000, third $12,000,...

Trevor and fellow slot-holders grinning over landing Copy That for The Race that matters

Barry Lichter, Lincoln FarmsEveryone will be watching Copy That’s return to the track at Auckland on Friday night but no one with more interest than high profile owner Trevor Casey and his fellow slot-holders.In just five weeks, the champion will be carrying their hopes in the $1 million The Race By Grins at Cambridge, after Casey came to a deal with his good friends, Copy That’s owners Merv and Meg Butterworth.Casey, who owns the slot along with IRT boss Richard Cole, Glenn Holland, Stephen...

Could Bondi Lockdown be heading to Cambridge?

By Adam Hamilton, HRNZA trip across the ditch for The Race By Grins is a possibility for rejuvenated Aussie pacing star Bondi Lockdown.Owner Aaron Dunn and Team McCarthy will decide this week where to go with the five-year-old, who gunned-down Kiwi raider and leader B D Joe to win last night’s $100,000 Light Horse free-for-all (2400m), which was effectively a Miracle Mile consolation.Bondi Lockdown worked to the front then took a sit on B D Joe soon after before getting an inside run late and ...

Six slots left to fill for The Race by Grins

If New Zealand’s only $1 million harness racing event is anywhere as frenetic as the build-up it should be worth the wait.The Race by Grins will have its second running at Cambridge on April 14, with the prize money for the slot race rising by $100,000 after starting at $900,000 last season.The 2200m mobile pace will contain 10 runners and four are already confirmed, one as good as done, another high-profile name has pulled out and the connections of some other stars are now waiting until afte...

Cullen Breeding Ltd secure Akuta

Cullen Breeding have confirmed that their five-time Group One winner Akuta will represent them in the $1 million The Race, by Grins on April 14. Akuta is already a winner at Cambridge having won the Gr.1 McMillian Equine Feeds 2YO Emerald (1609m) at the 2021 IRT Harness Jewels. The last start Gr.1 NZ Derby winner is the third horse confirmed for The Race, by Grins following Old Town Road (Hydroflow) and Better Eclipse (PI & GJ Kennard Bloodstock LTD). Australian slot holders A...

Aussie Lads begin search for replacement runner

Aussie Lads are back in the hunt for a runner to fill their slot in the $NZ1 million The Race, by Grins at Cambridge on April 14. The connections of star Victorian pacer Rock N Roll Doo, who had signed-on to race in the Aussie Lads' slot, have decided to spell the Victoria Cup winner after some indifferent form.  He will not be contesting The Race, by Grins. “The horse himself is great, but he’s telling us he’s had enough and racing well below his best, so we’re turning hi...

Kennards secure Better Eclipse for The Race, by Grins

Christchurch couple Phil & Glenys Kennard have secured the dual Group One winning pacer Better Eclipse for the $1 million The Race, by Grins at Cambridge Raceway. The five-year-old son of Betterthancheddar is trained by Jess Tubbs in Victoria for owner Antoinette Bajada and was bred by Joe Bajada. The Kennards are the third slot holders to confirm their runner for New Zealand's equal richest race, and richest harness race, with Hydroflow represented by Old Town Road and A...

Could Self Assured defend his title in The Race, By Grins?

Gareth Hall and his Kiwi guests discuss The Race on the Karaka Wrap Up (from 7 min). ...

Rock N Roll Doo confirmed for The Race by Grins

By Adam Hamilton, HRNZThe Rock N Roll Doo team feel they have unfinished business in New Zealand and now they’ve found a partner to help them tackle it.Owner Brendan James declared his intent to chase the $1 million Race by Grins a few weeks back and now "Aussie Lads" has teamed-up with the star pacer for its slot in the April 14 race at Cambridge.“We said after NZ Cup Week we wanted to go back to NZ,” James said.“As much as we’d have loved things to go better in Christchurch, the bigg...

Hydroflow secure Old Town Road

Slot holders Hydroflow have secured four-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding Old Town Road for the $1 million The Race by Grins at Cambridge Raceway on April 14.The John Dickie trained pacer has had a rapid rise to the major league in New Zealand, running sixth in the Gr.1 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at just his 13th start. He followed that performance with a third placing in the Gr.1 NZ Pacing Free For All, behind last year's winner and second place getter in The Race by Grins, Self Assured...

The Race by Grins joins NZ’s richest races

The Race by Grins will join the thoroughbred code’s Karaka Million races and New Zealand Derby as the country’s richest races in 2023, with Waikato-Bay of Plenty Harness committed to a $1 million stake for the second edition of the race. The inaugural running of the innovative race earlier this year, attracted some of the best standardbreds in Australasia to compete and was won by the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen-trained Self Assured, the charge of slot holders SENZ. “We were really proud...

2023 Market released for The Race, by Grins

The NZ TAB have released the following market for the 2023 edition of The Race, by Grins:...

Favourite Self Assured too good in The Race

Champion horseman Mark Purdon only had one complaint after favourite Self Assured won New Zealand’s first ever slot race at Cambridge on Thursday night.“He should have won by more,” laughed Purdon after the $900,000 The Race by Grins.It was tongue in cheek but also a nod to the physical dominance of Self Assured as he overcame the widest barrier and having to sit parked for the last lap to win harness racing’s new glamour race.Kept out of the early burn as first Alta Orlando, Spankem and...

Aussie young guns lurking

There is only one group that strikes more fear into New Zealand harness racing drivers than battle-hardened Australians intent on leading our major races.That is young, fearless Australians who could do just about anything - a perfect recipe for the $900,000 The Race by Grins at Cambridge on Thursday night.Four of the young stars of New South Wales descend on Cambridge for the inaugural running of New Zealand's first major slot race and they add a dimension to the race often lacking in domestic ...

WATCH: TAB NZ's The Race By Grins Preview Show

The Race by Grins is almost upon us! Matt Cross and Craig 'The Whale' Thompson are joined by Brittany Graham from Sky Racing Australia to preview Thursday's maiden running of The Race by Grins in Cambridge....

WATCH: The Box Seat The Race By Grins Special

The Race by Grins at Cambridge Raceway is finally here. Check out this comprehensive preview with all the good oil #GIANThand...

Trainer-driver Brett Mangos - South Coast Arden ripe for picking in $900,000 The Race

Brent Mangos has fired the first tactical shots with South Coast Arden ahead of the $900,000 The Race By Grins.If the Pukekohe trainer-driver gets his way, his second-favourite could be settling a long way in front of favourite Self Assured in the big-money slot race at Cambridge on Thursday.The two favourites drew potentially the worst two barriers when South Coast Arden got barrier seven and Self Assured barrier eight for the 2200m mobile.Self Assured's trainer-driver Mark Purdon says he expec...

Dexter Dunn protégé Jack Trainor sitting pretty with Stylish Memphis

When Dexter Dunn was really starting to make his mark in New Zealand about 13 years ago, he took a young kid under his wing.It was a life-changing gesture for the then 14-year-old Jack Trainor, who is now one the emerging forces of Australia’s training and driving ranks.Trainor, now based out of the huge Menangle training complex in Sydney, is back home in NZ preparing for the most special moment of his career so far. He trains and drives star mare Stylish Memphis, a key player in the inaugura...

Self Assured will need huge effort after draw for $900,000 race

Champion trainer Mark Purdon concedes favourite Self Assured is going to need to produce the performance of his career to win the $900,000 The Race by Grins at Cambridge on Thursday night. But he takes comfort in knowing the superstar pacer is in the right form to do that.The long-time favourite drew the outside of the front line in New Zealand's first major slot race over 2200m mobile on Thursday.Purdon says that will mean pulling back, maybe all the way to last before making a mid-race move, h...

The Race by Grins Barrier Draw this Saturday

Join us on Saturday night for the live barrier draw for #TheRaceByGrins! Hosted by TV personality Michael Guerin, this exclusive event is a great chance to mix and mingle with slot holders and owners of horses in The Race by Grins. Doors open: 6.30pmLive barrier draw: 7.30pmBar closes: 8.30pmDress code: Smart CasualTickets: $100 Ticket price includes finger food and beverages. Buy Now https://cambridgeraceway.flicket.co.nz/.../reservation OR catch the live stream at: https://iframe.dacast.com/...

Hart pumping for The Race

Top New South Wales harness racing driver Cameron Hart is ready to tackle another career highlight.Fresh from driving a treble at Menangle on Tuesday as well as three winners at that venue last Saturday night, the 637-time winner is packing his bags to head over to New Zealand for the $900,000NZ The Race at Cambridge on April 14.Following the news that talented mare Spellbound was withdrawn from the slot race, Hart’s drive Majestic Cruiser was offered a spot in the inaugural feature. Afte...

Majestic Cruiser has been confirmed for The Race by Grins

Inter Dominion-winning trainer Jason Grimson can’t wait to be part of the inaugural $900,000 The Race  by Grins at Cambridge on Thursday week.Grimson happily accepted a late call-up with new stable star Majestic Cruiser when injury forced star mare Spellbound out of the race.“I had one condition … that he’d only go if Cam Hart went across and drove him,” Grimson said. “Cam’s really helped make this horse and deserves to drive him.” The other “deal maker” for Grimson...

The Race contenders on target

Everything looks on target for Stylish Memphis and Alta Orlando heading towards Thursday week’s $900,000 The Race by Grins at Cambridge. Both pleased connections in defeat behind the very much in-form and classy Majestic Cruiser in a free-for-all at Menangle on Saturday night.Stylish Memphis absolutely smashed the clock making plenty of ground from near last to finish fifth. While Alta Orlando led and improved a lot on the previous week by fighting on strongly to finish second, beaten just a h...