News Briefs : November 12

Luke McCarthy's breakthrough win the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup, a new personal best for the Telfers and some other milestones all feature in this week's News Briefs.

Third time lucky for McCarthy  

Kingman's IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup victory was third time lucky for champion trainer-driver Luke McCarthy. It was the Australian's third drive in the big race following on from Washakie in 2009 (14th) and third with For A Reason in 2014. It was Kingman's 14th and biggest victory and followed his huge win in the Victoria Cup on October 18. He has career earnings approaching $1m from 34 starts ($919,267). Kingman completed an Aussie double in the day's biggest races with Gus taking out the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot. He was just the third Aussie-trained trotter to do so, following on from Just Believe last year and Scotch Notch in 1983. There was also a first Group 1 success for Kimberly Butt with her win with Freeze Frame in the $200,000 Woodlands Stud Sires' Stakes 2YO Colts and Geldings Final. It was Cran and Chrissie Dalgety's second training success for the day following Franco Sinatra's win in the TAB Junior Free-For-All while Diamond Racing had the most successful day wins-wise with three victories (Bounce N Beyond, Celestial Sea and It's Tough), all driven by John Dunn.

Telfers go past 150 

The Telfers have chalked up 150 wins for the first time. The brother-sister combo lead the premiership with 151 wins in 2025 following J T Boe's win in the last race at Addington yesterday. Their previous best for a season was 116 in 2024. And more milestones are on their way - the training partnership has 498 wins since their first win together in 2021 and their top stable driver Tim Williams is now on 999 career wins. This season the Telfers are 55 wins clear of nearest rival Michael House (96). Blair Orange, who became just the fourth Kiwi to have 3000 career driving wins in this country last Friday night, is assured of his eighth drivers' premiership title. He is on 146, 35 clear of Williams.

Purdons to train Pantani 

Five race winner Pantani has had a change of trainer. The Father Patrick four-year-old started out with his co-breeder Ross Paynter before he relocated with his family to Sweden. David Butcher then took over the training and now he has gone to Mark and Nathan Purdon's barn at Pukekohe. A very talented trotter Pantani has been wayward in his manners of late though he did win at Alexandra Park in September.

First win for Speeding Spur 

Speeding Spur produced his first winner when Paramount Spur won at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The three-year-old gelding (Speeding Spur -Paramount Bliss) was co-bred by trainer John Dickie and driven by son Josh. It was Paramount Spur's third race day start. Dickie also trained Speeding Spur, a million dollar plus earner, who won 28 races and six Group 1s including the 2015 New Zealand Trotting Derby, the 2018 New Zealand Trotting Free For All  and the 2018 Rowe Cup. 

Tres Bonne win at Palmy 

There was a double celebration in Monday's River Field Mobile Pace at Manawatu on Monday. It marked Tres Bonne Fille's first win at start number 33 for trainer Rodney Dickson. The Vincent four-year-old led all the way to win by over a length. It was also Emily Johnson's 100th winner as a driver. She had 65 in Australia and this was her 35th win on this side of the Tasman since joining the junior driving ranks here last year. 

Ron's record haul 

Ron Burke, harness racing's all time leader in training wins and stakes, has set a new record in a single season in North America. His stakes for 2025 are $28.6m, beating the old mark of $28.4 he set in 2014. Overall he has won 16,343 races and $374m in stakes money. This year he has had 1001 wins from nearly 5000 starters! Jason Bartlett is still the highest earning driver with $14.6m though he is being pursued by Kiwi champion Dexter Dunn who is at $14.4m. He has had 271 wins for the year.
 
Club News : Wyndham 

The Wyndham Harness Racing Club race at Central Southland Raceway in Winton this Sunday after last month’s storm caused damage to the grandstand at their home course, Young Quinn Raceway. With the future of the building in doubt the club has made the call to take Sunday’s race meeting to Winton. The Wyndham Club hold three meetings over the summer months at Cromwell (Tuesday 6 January, Friday 20 February and Sunday 22 February) before the next scheduled meeting in Wyndham so the move to Wyndham this Sunday gives the club time to assess the damage. There are 10 races on Sunday with the first scheduled for 12.13pm. Admission will be free.