News Briefs - April 1

The death of a former Oamaru trainer-driver in Australia, a milestone for Ben Hope and two siblings winning at Wyndham all feature in this week's News Briefs.   

Vale Jimmy Crofts 

HRNZ would like to send its condolences to the family of former trainer-driver Jimmy (JP) Crofts, who has died in Australia. Crofts trained opposite the Oamaru racecourse, with records showing he had nine wins as a trainer and seven as a driver. His best horse was trotter Gypsanelli who won five in 1977-79 before being sold to Canada and pacer Lady Hanover who won both days' at Oamaru's Labour weekend meetings in 1974 when driven by Henry Skinner. He was close friends with the late great horsemen Bill Skelton, Frank Oliver, Stu Sutherland and Dick Prendergast, among others. While based in Oamaru he also worked on the railway as an engine driver. He moved to Christchurch in 1995 and then across the Tasman in 2008. He is survived by his wife Averill (married for 66 years), sons Trev, Jeff, Gary, and Grant and daughter Carolynn as well as nine grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Jimmy Crofts was 92.

300 for Ben Hope 

Mr Love's win at Addington last Friday night gave Ben Hope his 300th win as a driver. Fittingly the Love You seven-year-old is trained by Ben and his father Greg Hope at Woodend. Mr Love was also their first winner in partnership at Addington in April last year. Ben's first driving win was with the appropriately-named Benhope Rulz at Oamaru in 2017. 

Latest premiership update 

April 1 marks the end of the first quarter of the year and after three months  of the 2026 season Robert and Jenna Dunn have 40 wins to lead the trainers' premiership by seven from Michael House (33) and last year's record-breaking winners Steve and Amanda Telfer (27) while John Dunn has 41 winning drives so far to trail eight-time champion Blair Orange by four (45). Wilson House is atop the junior drivers' leaderboard with 28 wins, four ahead of Carter Dalgety. 

Sires' Stakes latest

The New Zealand Sires' Stakes are excited for Cambridge's Night of Champions on Friday, April 10.

To see their latest news click here 

Export fee change from tomorrow  

HRNZ's new export fee will be applicable from tomorrow (April 2). The fee will rise from $505 (inclusive of GST) to $1,500 (plus GST). It is the first fee increase in more than a decade. The fee will be placed on all horses leaving the country to be based in overseas jurisdictions on a permanent basis except for those sold through the NZB Standardbred National Weanling and Yearling Sales. Those horses will be charged an Export Fee of $429.25 + GST provided they are exported within 24 months following the fall of hammer or be charged the full Export Fee of $1,500 + GST if exported after 24 months.

Entries open for Weanling Sale

Entries for the 2026 NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale close in just over a fortnight. The sale will be held at Karaka on Thursday, June 25. Last year's sale resulted in close to $1m worth of sales, with the median and average increasing 54% and 25% over the previous year. Entries close on Thursday, April 16. To enter your weanlings or yearlings, visit NZB Standardbred’s online portal at standardbred.portal.nzb.co.nz or for enquiries contact Grant Inglis by calling +64 9 298 0055 or email Grant.Inglis@nzb.co.nz.

Siblings win first two at Wyndham 

There was an interesting pair of winners at Wyndham last Thursday. The first two winners on the day were full siblings. Harold Hanover, a six-year-old gelding upset at big odds before the well-favoured Rocknroll Ivy won the very next. Both are by Rocknroll Hanover out of Vera's In Heaven. Both were bred or co-bred by Michael Stirling. It was Harold Hanover's third win (52 starts) and Rocknroll Ivy's first (4 starts).

Otago awards on April 18

The Otago Harness Racing awards will be held in Oamaru later this month. They will be held at The Loan and Merc on April 18. Pre-dinner drinks will be held from 6pm. All enquiries should be directed to Bev Williamson - ardgowan.lodge@xtra.co.nz