News Briefs : April 9

Leap To Fame's short odds to win the NZ Cup, new Metro Series Heats and Finals for Auckland, and the second annual Entain Industry Excellence Awards all feature in this week's News Briefs. 

Leap To Fame huge favourite for NZ Cup
 
After his crushing win in the $1m Race by betcha Leap To Fame is now a $1.80 favourite to win the IRT New Zealand Cup at Addington. The Australian superstar was the talk of the harness racing world with his 50th career victory last Friday. Such was his dominance over a top class field that he is now a commanding top pick for the country's biggest race on Tuesday, November 11 ahead of two-time champion Swayzee ($4) and a third Aussie in Don Hugo ($6). Kiwi stars Don't Stop Dreaming, Republican Party, Chase A Dream and Merlin are next in the market.

May's Metro Series

The next round of the highly popular Metro Series Heats and Finals will be held at Alexandra Park next month. The series has been a feature part of the Look North strategy launched last year to reinvigorate racing in the north. $20,000 Heats for both Trotters and Pacers will be held at Alexandra Park on May 9 and May 23 before the two $35,000 Finals on Friday, May 30. There will be more heats and finals during the winter months. 

Dex has first winner in 2025  

Driver of the Year in the USA for five of the last six years, Dexter Dunn is back in the winner's circle for 2025. He had his first wins for the year at the Meadowlands in New Jersey over the weekend, winning with Mac's Delight and Miki Ray. It was Dunn's first night back driving after a four month holiday that included an extended stay back home in New Zealand as well as driving at the Ultimate Driver Championships in Brisbane in February. Dunn now has the job of chasing down the likes of Jason Bartlett, who is the leading earner in North America with $2.76m in stakes and 226 wins.

At the same meeting Irish import Always B Colour became the fastest pinto horse in history after winning in 1:52. It was a victory too for ex-pat Australians the Trittons, with Lauren driving the four-year-old for her husband Shane.

700 wins for O'Reilly

Gerard O'Reilly clocked up his 700th winning drive when Esmarelda won on the grass at Timaru last week. He also won with Diamond Harbour that day and with Woodbine Rocks at Addington on Sunday to take his career tally to 702. His first driving win was with Yellow Ribbon in 1982. His most successful season wins-wise was the 41 he had in the 2021 season with the likes of The Falcon, Laver and Sweet Belle.

Purdon gallops to first win

After training 2641 harness racing winners, Mark Purdon has now had his first in the gallops. He opened his account with $17 outsider Buster Shaw at Ellerslie on Saturday. The breakthrough win came after a big Night of Champions at Cambridge on Friday where had two winners in Andretti and Without You and a second with Chase A Dream. His only disappointment came when Oscar Bonavena galloped out of contention in the $600,000 TAB Trot. Purdon began training thoroughbreds in 2023 as a sidelight and has continued training a small team following his move from Canterbury to Matamata. 

Kiwi stamps her class in WA

Kiwi bred mare Penny Black is turning into a good money-spinner in Western Australia. Passed in after failing to reach her $10,000 reserve at the 2021 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale the Sweet Lou five-year-old has now won 11 of her 23 career starts and more than $170,000 in stakes. Her latest win came at Gloucester Park on Friday night for trainer Michael Young and driver Gary Hall Junior. Penny Black hails from the famed Black Watch family, with her dam, Tessa Rocks, being a full-sister to Group 3 winner Crystal Sparkles and was co-bred by Sires' Stakes executive Martin Pierson. Penny Black's half brother Xlendi is also a five race winner and was a last start second behind Renegade in Sunday's Cheviot Cup at Addington.  

Speaking of Sires' Stakes, their latest newsletter is out. 

To see it click here  

Entain Industry awards now open

Nominations are being called for New Zealand’s brightest talents in the racing industry, with the Industry Excellence Awards, powered by Entain New Zealand, now open for entries. The tri-code awards, which were held for the first time last year, are open to anyone involved in the New Zealand racing and breeding industry between the ages of 18 to 40 and are an opportunity for the rising stars and future leaders to be recognized. At last year's awards harness racing had two winners in Jo Stevens and Chanelle Dickie.

To see more click here

Entries still open for Weanling sale

Entries for the NZB National Weanling Sale close later this month. The sale will be held at Karaka Open on June 26 in conjunction with the NZB Thoroughbred sale. Entries are open via NZB Standardbred's portal, and close on Thursday, April 24. For assistance with the Portal, contact Grant Inglis by calling +64 9 298 0055 or email [email protected]

Club News : Wairio 

The Wairio Trotting Club race at Central Southland Raceway at Winton on Thursday (10 April). There are ten races on the programme with the first timed to start at 12.58pm and the last at 5.41pm. Entry to the course on the day will be free.