News Briefs - June 22

Ask the CEO

HRNZ CEO Gary Woodham will be live on Trots Talk SENZ between 12-1pm this Sunday with regular host Greg O'Connor. If you have a question you would like to ask, send it through to [email protected] and we can include it amongst the conversation. If you can't listen live, a link will be on the HRNZ website from Sunday afternoon with a full replay of the show.

Arty rules for second year running

Despite having only limited appearances in 2021 Lochinvar Art has been named Victorian Horse of the Year. The pacing star won three from three during the year before injury sidelined him but his success in the Shepparton Gold Cup, the Ballarat Pacing Cup and the AG Hunter Cup was enough for him to become just the seventh horse to secure back -to-back titles, joining the likes of Gammalite and Lennytheshark.

Wobelee retired

Five-time Group One winning trotter Wobelee has been retired from racing after another suspensory injury. The decision came after he pulled up lame after a third at melton earlier this month. Wobelee finishes his career with 24 wins from 65 starts and half a million dollars in stakes earnings.

Golf theme in Cup win

Appropriately in the same week as the US golf open has been held in Massachusetts, Pebble Beach has won the $1m North American Pacing Cup. Driven by Todd McCarthy, Pebble Beach won by nearly three lengths in 1:50. Pebble Beach in California has hosted the US Open six times. This week's winner was Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick.

Jake heading home

Owner-breeder Grahame Scurr is now also taking over the training of his three-race winning Bettor's Delight gelding, Jake. The horse had been with Dean Taylor for all his previous 34 starts. Scurr's had four training successes since starting out more than 30 years ago with his last winner being K C Monet in 2013.

Burn Support Group fund-raiser

A fund-raiser for the Burn Support Charitable Trust will be held at Addington Raceway on July 1. The Trust's mission is two-fold - to improve the life of burn survivors, and to lower the incidents of burn injuries. The fund-raiser will be held at the Terror To Love lounge with tickets costing $135 for a three-course buffet and drinks package. 

For more information click here 

Club news: Southern Harness

The dates are out and there is another big season ahead for harness racing in the south.One of the big features of the new season is the shift of the Invercargill Cup from its traditional late January date to a new spot on the calendar on Saturday 17 December 2022.

The new date will feature some exceptionally good stakes including the Group 1 $100,000 Invercargill Cup and the $30,000 David Moss Trot. The date is ideal for pre-Christmas functions with plenty of room and tent options available. All inquiries can be made to Lindsay Beer, Promotions Officer, Southern Harness Racing – 021 351 499 / [email protected]

The traditional summer racing circuit will again visit Central Otago soon after New Year with meetings at Omakau (2 January), Roxburgh (4 January) and Cromwell (6 January). The Cromwell meeting is hosted by the Wyndham Harness Racing Club each year and in the coming season the club will return to Cromwell for two further meetings on Friday 24 February and Sunday 26 February.

The Tuapeka Harness Racing Club return to Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill for their annual meeting on the Sunday of Labour Weekend (23 October) while the prestigious Diamonds Day takes place at the same venue on Sunday 23 April 2023.

The Wairio Trotting Club inherit the former Invercargill Cup Race Day on Saturday 28 January at Central Southland Raceway in Winton.

The 2022/2023 Southern Harness Racing season commences in August with meetings at Young Quinn Raceway in Wyndham on Thursday 11 August and Central Southland Raceway in Winton on Thursday 25 August.

The full season calendar can be obtained on request from [email protected]