#Open Class

Bike riding is no more a male domain. Though it might not be common to see a woman riding a bike, the uncommon women make the conversation on'female bike riding' even more worthwhile. They aren't attracted to the common melody, but it is the vrooming sound that soothes their ears and soul. We bring to you a list of badass biking queens whose…

The 2023 harness racing season might still be in its infancy, but Prebbleton horseman John McDermott and his bonny mare Supreme Gem (Christian Cullen) have made every post a winning one thus far. In the span of eight days, three daughters of Supreme Gem have chalked up race wins at South Island meetings, giving McDermott and his wife Christine…

We start group 3 Belle of the Turf day with a very competitive maiden for the boys at set weights on a surface that could settle closer to a good 3 with no rain in sight. Drawn to sit right behind the speed on debut, like Real Impact three-year-old 5. Bias who starts as a gelding. Given plenty of maturing time at the trials, the latest at the…

The Showcase Cup day card opens with the maiden sprinters, and there's good value about Dissident three-year-old 3. Salt City who returns off a long spell for only his second start. Didn't handle a tight turning track on debut in soft 7 going, but has been given plenty of time, and was strong through the line close-up in a recent country trial.…

Akuta (Bettor's Delight), the reigning New Zealand two-year-old of the year, and his co-trainer Mark Purdon made a big statement when taking out the time-honoured Hannon Memorial on Sunday afternoon (Sep. 18) in Oamaru. While the 2600m journey was a sedate affair (3:20.1) and the second slowest Hannon since 2005, the manner in which in Akuta was…

The older maidens get us rolling over a sprint trip on a track that is likely to improve back into Good range. After being run down late in his last two, metro four-year-old 2. Exsensible rates on top. Draws nicely to roll forward and again take control at only his fourth start in a race with less depth, and the eight-day back-up is a further…

Akron, NY - - The Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association and Batavia Downs will honor three 14-year-old veteran harness racing horses who will officially retire on January 1, 2023. These horses have competed at the Downs this season and will be presented with a trophy commemorating their outstanding careers in the…

Race-by-race preview and tips for Canterbury on Friday We're sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We're working to restore it. Please try again later. Selections based on a good track. 1. El Bravo has run into form recently and didn't have the best of luck when third at Kembla over a mile last time out. Stopped in his tracks at a vital…

It was a whirlwind half hour for Christian Williams as he followed up his Eider Chase success at Newcastle with a one-two in the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton. Before that, though, Knight Salute impressively maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles when justifying 15-8 favouritism in the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, his third Grade 2…

Connections of Ahoy Senor are hopeful last season's top novice chaser will bounce back in the Boylesports Many Clouds Chase at Aintree on Saturday. He returns to the scene of his Grade One Mildmay Novices' Chase success on the back of a disappointing reappearance, when last of five to Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby in…

The gelded son of Yeats provided Mullins with the biggest success of his training career back in April when defying his 50/1 price tag to give amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen a fairytale send-off on his last ever ride. Noble Yeats has had mixed fortunes in his two starts since that red letter day on Merseyside almost eight months ago, pulling up in…

Friday night (25 Nov.) harness racing action at Addington Raceway will be remembered as a night where the trotting females in our racing population were duly rewarded, with the first ever Group One fillies trot and the richest race feature for trotting mares run on the same programme. The measures for success were there for all to see. Two capacity…

This weekend sees lots of thrilling races at Ascot with some high class and top grade hurdling and chases. The huge anticipation for the feature race on Saturday with the Clarence House Chase is well and truly justified but the battles either side of it are also very promising for punters. We've seen plenty of big races of late produce surprising…

If Ben Hope's drive behind Muscle Mountain was the best losing drive of Cup and Show week, harness racing legend, Mark Purdon, produced the best winning drive of the week to secure Group One victory for he and Self Assured (Bettor's Delight) in the $200000 New Zealand Pacing Free For All. The world champion reinsman looked to be in a hopeless…

On-pacer runners making their own luck is the catalyst to a successful punting day at Ipswich on Wednesday. Jim Orman is striking at better than 23 per cent this year and Ipswich is one of his favourite tracks. Between Orman, Ben Thompson and 2kg-claiming apprentice Angela Jones - I have much of the meeting covered. BEST BET NOBLE BEAUTY (Race 8…

The Australian raiders have made this New Zealand Cup. Win, lose or draw they have given harness racing's great race a heartbeat when it could easily have been just another glorified NZ free-for-all. And both the emerging Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven) and seasoned warrior Majestic Cruiser (Art Major) are good enough to win it, too. But there…

Back to Doomben and with fine weather forecast a good track is likely. The track always plays to on-pacers and with the rail out 5.5 metres I will be looking for those that can make their own luck. A pair of European imports have my attention and I am also expecting the Maher/Eustace juggernaut to continue. BEST BET: HILLCREST AVENUE (Race 5 No…

I Wish I Win has given his rivals a start and then given them a beating in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes. The Peter Moody-trained gelding looked to be held up halfway down the straight and we all thought he was going to end up in one of those horror watches for punters. However, Luke Nolen found the gap and punched this very smart gelding through…

The third midweek in a row at Ipswich and we can expect an upset or two on the tricky track with weather likely to play a part. The tight track favours front-runners and with the rail out between four and six metres I want to be on those ridden by in-form jockeys that can take luck out of the equation. BEST BET: SOLAROSA (Race 1 No 6) NEXT…

Leading Pacing Sire: Bettor's Delight | 9 winners Leading Pacing Broodmare Sire: American Ideal & Christian Cullen | 3 winners Leading Trotting Sire: Majestic Son & Love You | 3 winners Leading Trotting Broodmare Sire: Sundon | 4 winners I'm dead set running out of things to say when it comes to Bettor's Delight! Last week we discussed how'the…

One of the best days of racing comes to us from Caulfield this Saturday afternoon. We have a fantastic edition of the Group 1 Caulfield Cup to look forward to as well as plenty of other quality races. Our full 2022 Caulfield Cup Day Preview can be found below. The Patrick Payne trained Quang Tri has proven herself to be a really classy filly in her…

Leaders dominated last week at Eagle Farm and with rail going out to four metres much of the same can be expected. Once again, there are southern raiders coming up in search of good ground but previous experience on the track is advantageous. The talented 3kg claimer Angela Jones is currently leading the Queensland Metro Jockeys premiership and I…

Still with the maidens, but an open affair sneaking up a further furlong in distance. Improving provincial filly 13. Leipzig progressed nicely into her third-up run, missing by a nose chasing home a talented winner on a bog track at Scone. Again drawn to get to the outside, and looks well treated here under the set weights scale, coming through…

The future of Aussie harness looks bright after the young stars shone brightly at the huge Victoria Cup meeting on Saturday (Oct. 8) at Melton. Victoria Cup has become Australia's best race card with four Group 1 races and a stack of other highlights, and it certainly delivered last Saturday night. Rock N Roll Doo's dominant, even arrogant, win in…

Harness racing action heads to Addington Raceway tomorrow night (30th Sep.) for an action-packed twelve-race card, headlined by the 52nd edition of the time-honoured Canterbury Classic at Group Two level. The likes of Self Assured, Spankem, Cranbourne, and South Coast Arden will be making their race day resumptions as the road to the New Zealand…

When All Words ran fourth of four last start, his trainer Brett Robb felt a little deflated but soon realised he shouldn't have. "I was a little bit disappointed in him the other day at Scone but it was a on a Heavy 10 so he had a couple of excuses," Robb said. "It was bottomless that day, they went slow in front which doesn't suit him at all and…

North Island harness racing heads to Cambridge tomorrow night (Sep 29.) with an action-packed 10-race card to go with a non-tote two-year-old trot. Race six sees a cracking field of nine juveniles for the first North Island heat of the Woodlands Stud Sires Stakes Series for colts and geldings. The unbeaten Merlin (Art Major) headlines a quality…

Grass track harness racing returned to the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club this afternoon (Sep 25.) with the Moutukarara track awakening from a six-month hiatus. While the weather was cold, the racing promised to be anything but with the feature of the day being the 58 running of the time-honoured D G Jones Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup for the Open…

North Island harness racing heads south of the Bombay Hill's top Cambridge on Thursday night with the promise of some even fields and exciting betting races. And while the Waikato meeting may be void of some of the star power we have seen at Alexandra Park in recent weeks, only one of the eleven races on the programme has an odds-on favourite at…

Dahar (USA) - Great Verdict (USA) - 1989 It is with much sadness that we report the passing of our grand stayer Daacha, aged 33 years. Winner of the 1995 Sydney Cup, Group 13200m and the VRC Duke of Norfolk Stakes, Listed 3200m, he was placed in numerous group and listed staying races including at WFA. He contested staying races in many states…

Kiwi star Copy That starts his road to redemption at Melton on Saturday night. It was just over nine months ago when the reigning New Zealand Cup winner - then arguably New Zealand's best pacer - had a Melbourne raid derailed by a freakish paddock accident. Copy That lashed out in his yard and fractured a splint bone in a hind leg. But…

A slimmed-down Alta Wiseguy (Mach Three) showed he is ready for the races when beating some of pacing big guns at the Rangiora harness racing trials on Wednesday (Aug 31). And that was enough to convince co-trainer Steve Telfer the speedster can head to the Avon City Ford Cup at Addington next week. Alta Wiseguy led throughout in the 2600m standing…