News Briefs - April 30

Milestones for Michael and Wilson House at Manawatu,  the first Warriors - harness racing joint promotion, and a new driver for Keayang Zahara all feature in this week's News Briefs.  

Dual milestones for Michael and Wilson House 

The country's leading junior driver Wilson House celebrated his 21st in a most unusual way yesterday - he drove three winners at Manawatu. He started his run by winning the first with Matai Harry, then won race 5 with Jaccka Baylis before bookending the programme with hot favourite Nickel And Dime in the last. Now in his fifth year of driving, the in-form House has 51 wins in 2025, putting him second overall behind Blair Orange on 74. His father,  Michael House trained all three of those winners last night along with Oakley Shard and Shezabettorgirl, both driven by Harrison Orange. House has a commanding lead in the trainers' premiership with 67 wins, 30 ahead of closest challenger Steve and Amanda Telfer. With his second winner on the night (Shezabettorgirl)  House clocked up his 900th career success. He now has 903. Last night was the first under the new lights at Manawatu. Costing around $300,000 they were installed just last week.   

Win win for Warriors

The first ever joint promotion involving the One New Zealand Warriors, Harness Racing New Zealand and Addington Raceway has been deemed a big success. The ANZAC Racing and League day was held last Friday. There was a strong Warriors theme both on and off the track for the 10 race card that included the Up the Wahs ANZAC Classic Mobile Pace. Many Warriors fans turned up at the raceway and enjoyed the racing before heading off next door to see the Warrior beat the Newcastle Knights (Win win). It's also been confirmed the Warriors will continue playing ANZAC weekend games in Christchurch for the next three years at least though they will be played at the new roofed stadium downtown. Other joint ventures between the Warriors organization and HRNZ are in the pipeline. Turnover was strong for the both the ANZAC day meetings at Addington and Auckland. They were both ahead of last year with total turnover over $2.1m. Auckland's premier meeting featured five Group 1s including Marketplace's dominant win in the Woodlands Stud Northern Derby. Action continues at Alexandra Park this Friday with another three Group 1s, including the Rowe Cup.

Vale Ray Dawe
 
Harness Racing New Zealand would like to extend its condolences to the Dawe family. Ray Dawe will be farewelled this Thursday at the Lamb and Hayward chapel at Rangiora at 10.30am. Ray Dawe was the "Ra" in Rakero Racing along with his sons Kevin ("Ke") and Ronnie ("Ro") and raced the likes of Group 1 winner Rakero Rocket, Light Me Up and Ebury Street. Ray Dawe was 85.

New driver for Keayang Zahara 

Unbeaten trotting mare Keayang Zahara faces her biggest challenge yet when she returns to racing at Melton on Saturday night. That’s how co-trainer Paddy Lee looks at the 1720m trotting free-for-all, where Keayang Zahara will take on genuine and high-quality open-class rivals for the first time. Her major rivals include multiple Group 1 winning mare Im Ready Jet (gate two) and Great Southern Star winner Watts Up Partytime (four).
"She’s as ready to go as we can have her without a race," says Lee
The other difference on Saturday night will be the driver. Jason Lee has won all 14 races on Keayang Zahara so far, but willingly hands the reins to cousin, Glen Craven, this week.
“It’s how we do things, we share them around,” Paddy Lee said.
“Jase wanted Glen to have a few race drives on her. Glen will drive her if she goes to Sydney next week as we plan to, as well.
“I think the plan is for Jase to get back on when she goes to Brisbane for the Inter Dominion.”
This race is to sharpen-up Keayang Zahara for her quest to win an eighth Group 1 race in Saturday week’s $100,000 Macarthur Mile at Menangle.
Keayang Zahara hasn't raced since completing a clean sweep of three major races at Addington when she won the Group 1 NZ Trotting Derby on December 6, last year.

Cullens grab Group 1 double

What a Group 1-winning fortnight it's been the husband and wife training combo of Hayden and Amanda Cullen. Firstly Amanda claimed her first Group 1 with We Walk By Faith in the Dawson Harford Taylor Mile on April 11 and then last Friday the Cullens got a second with Arafura in the Pascoes The Jewellers Northern oaks. The Cullens now have 12 wins in 2025 with a very good UDR (strike-rate) of 0.4099. Hayden has 35 Group 1 wins, including 19 with Mark Purdon and 11 on his own.

Mowbray's run of success with outsiders

Delightful Peg's win continues a great run of longshot winners for trainer Brad Mowbray in 2025. The Bettor's Delight filly got the dream up the passing lane to upset the likes of hot shots Captains Mistress and Utah Jazz in he Nevele R Stud/Macca Lodge Southern Oaks Final on Diamonds Day at Invercargill on Sunday. Delightful Peg paid $37.50 for the win. Mowbray's other winners at big money this year have included Impressive Shard ($46), She's Tough ($32.80) and Okiwi Bay ($28.10).

D Mac on the move  

After a strong second on debut D Mac has been sold to Western Australian interests. Named after All Black and Chiefs star Damian McKenzie, the Downbytheseaside colt is off to Perth. Trained, driven and co-bred by Brad Morris, D Mac debuted in this month's Murray Gray Memorial Pace at Winton and sat parked for the whole race only to be run down by Seaside Croft.  

1000 for Pizzuto

Kevin Pizzuto of Tiger Tara fame has brought up a big milestone. The veteran Australian trainer had his 1000th success when Tiger Eupheme won at Penrith in the Last Post Pace for driver Joshua Gallagher last Thursday. By Tiger Tara, it was the filly's second win in 12 starts. Tiger Tara was by far Pizzuto's stand out horse with 37 wins and nearly $2.5m in earnings. In 2018 he won the Inter Dominion and the Hunter and Victoria Cup and was a huge second to Thefixer in the New Zealand Cup.

NI awards coming up soon

The North Island Harness Racing awards will be at Cambridge Raceway on Saturday, May 17 from 6pm. The cost per ticket is $40. For more information click here

Club News : Invercargill

Local harness racing fan Jackie Geange was the winner of the Invercargill Harness Racing Club’s major promotion at their annual Diamonds Day race meeting at Ascot Park Raceway on Sunday. She walked away with a Diamond Ring, independently valued at $7560, courtesy of Coats & Schuck Jewellers and the Invercargill Harness Racing Club after her name was drawn from all those who placed a coupon in the draw. The coupons were given to ladies on course each time they placed a bet of $5. "It was the best ever Diamonds Day, the best ever day out,” Geange said. “I really appreciate the prize from Coats & Schuck Jewellers and the Invercargill Harness Racing Club.” The popularity of Diamonds Day continues to thrive with good crowds on course and a great day of racing in perfect weather conditions.