News Briefs - Jan 27

Milestones at the Mot

The grass at Motukarara on Sunday was a happy hunting ground for some who hadn’t tasted victory for a while, if ever. Westport trainer Phil Beveridge had his first win with Hello Adele winning at big odds while Waimate’s John Patterson trained and drove Line a Love to victory in race 1. It was his first win since Loose Cannon in May 2013 at Forbury Park. Prebbleton trainer Robert David also trained a winner – his first since Eastwood Chieftain in 2014 – when Not Really Blonde won race 4, with driver Ross Cameron in the sulky. And it was a good day for another driver called Cameron, with Alana Cameron taking out a double (Race 7 Jenabella and Race 9 Quarterback), both for in-form trainer Matt Purvis. A double went the way for Robbie Holmes too, training and driving Conquer Me and Sierra Gold in races 3 and 6.

More plaudits for Manning

Kerryn Manning, the most successful female driver ever, has chalked up a massive milestone, with her 4000th career win at the Stawell Harness Racing Club. She brought up the victory on Glenavril King, which she also trains. Her first winning drive was way back in 1993 behind Gorgeous Gambit, trained by her father Peter, while she also became the first female driver to win the New Zealand Cup when she piloted Arden Rooney to a famous win in 2015.

James Dean takes centre stage

Formerly trained by Leo O’Reilly, James Dean has taken out the New Norfolk Pacing Cup in Tasmania. Now seven, the son of Santanna Blue Chip won the Hobart feature for prominent trainer Ben Yole and driver Troy McDonald. James Dean won six from 26 before heading across the Tasman in December 2018.

Team Team just days away

The Teal Pants campaign gets underway in just a few days, with the first meeting at Addington next Thursday. Raising awareness of ovarian cancer and raising funds for research, Team Teal will involve more than 60 female drivers between February 1 and March 14. Both Harness Racing New Zealand and Woodlands Stud will give $100 for every victory by a member of Team Teal during the campaign, with clubs also donating money per win.

Club News : Invercargill 

Prizes, competitions, fun and racing. Those are the ingredients for this Saturday, 30 January, when the Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup at Ascot Park Raceway. A tailor-made Fiordland travel package to the value of $500 is the latest prize on offer for race day patrons with the Beach Road Holiday Park of Invercargill supporting this exciting prize. Those on course can drop their losing tickets into a barrel with a draw to be made late in the day to find the winner. You must be on course when the draw is made to claim the prize.

The Bet’s In The Bag gives patrons five chances to win a betting voucher up to the value of $200 to use on the day. To go in these draws fill in a coupon and place it in the entry barrel – rules and conditions will be available by the entry barrel. Kids will be big winners on the day too. There is plenty of free entertainment for the kids with bouncy castles, bumper balls, sumo suits, a kids tote, sack races, a heads & tails game, a free lolly giveaway after Race 6, guess the number of lollies in the jar and horseshoe throwing. The club will also provide free tea and coffee in the cafeteria all day long for patrons

Admission on the day is free and the first race is at 12 noon. Tent sites are still available by contacting Southern Harness Racing’s Promotions Officer, Lindsay Beer on 021 351 499.