"Free" horse competition closes December 1

There's just one week left in a new "win a free share of a racehorse" promotion  being run to encourage new people into harness racing ownership.

Breeder-owner Andrew Fry is offering five people a share in his one-year-old filly Aaliyah. By Sweet Lou, she is the first foal out of former New Zealand record-holder Ariella.

The filly is being prepared by Matty Williamson at his Oamaru barn. She's been described as being "a smart, correct youngster who has already impressed the team with her natural gait and lovely manners, having just completed her second prep."

The five winners will each own 2% of the filly, and will get a percentage of all winnings, with no outlay at all.

"The winners get 100 per cent of the benefits of horse ownership with no bills, no nothing  ... people reckon I'm mad," says Fry. 

So why is he doing it?

The key reason is that he wants to encourage new people to get a sense of what horse ownership is all about in the hope that they will either branch out themselves and/or encourage other people to get involved.

"It's a bit like buying a brand new car isn't it? You take it for a test drive first. What's the difference?"

Fry, a builder by trade, has been involved in breeding and racing horses for decades. Ariella was a five race winner. She set a 2YO Pacing Fillies New Zealand record (2:41.5) in the 2020 Caduceus Club Of Southland Classic. He's also in the ownership group that race seven race winner Princess Sadie, also trained out of Williamson's barn. (She was also fourth in the Group 2 Grand Duchess at Addington last Friday)

To enter the draw people must met the following criteria.

- they must be over 18
- they cannot already be a registered owner with HRNZ
- they must "Join the fun" on M Williamson Racing's Facebook page
- they must like the page and share the post to their profile

Already more than 400 people have gone into the draw, with the winners decided at random on December 1, 2025.

To go to the M Williamson Racing Stables page click here