News Briefs : June 8

Farewell to a legend

The funeral of an Australian harness racing legend will be held tomorrow. Josie Justice, the mother of John and Lance Justice, died last week on her 91st birthday. Her last winner was with High In The Sky in January this year. Since her death the Justices have dedicated victories with Rock Nien (Maryborough) and Helluva (Melton) to their mother who was a trailblazer and a true harness racing pioneer. Among her best horses was 22-time winner Bravado Pride.

Triple Eight goes for three from three

Former classy Kiwi pacer Triple Eight should cap his preparation for a Queensland raid with another Melton win on Saturday night. The seven-year-old has impressively won both runs back from a spell at Melton. “We’re really happy with how he (Triple Eight) has come back,” Sugars said, “we’re not getting carried away because he hasn’t beaten much, but it’s more the way he’s done it." Triple Eight’s ultimate Queensland target is the $350,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake on July 23.

Fifty for Ferguson

Southlander Craig Ferguson racked up his 50th training success when American Eyretime made it three wins in a row at Invercargill on Monday. It was Ferguson's ninth win from just 22 starts as a trainer this year. His 50 has come from 467 starts going back to 2016.

Two states two wins

Sumthingaboutmaori, the former Australian trotting queen and Inter Dominion champion, left important winners in two different states within 45 minutes last Saturday night. Gus An Maori came from near last to overwhelm his rivals at Menangle in New South Wales in a career-best 1:55.5min mile rate, while his younger half-sister Imamaorijet sat parked most of the way before winning the Aldebaran Park Sweetheart Trot Final at Melton in Victoria.

From Cambridge to Cranbourne

Brothers Craig and Tony Jamieson have made the move from Cambridge to Cranbourne in Victoria. They have taken five horses with them and will be based at the Cranbourne training centre which houses about a dozen trainers and 55 horses.

Dexter's drive in North America Cup

Dexter Dunn will team up with the Nancy Takter-trained Market Based in this weekend's North America Cup eliminations. Seventeen horses have been entered with the top five finishers in each the two eliminations going through to the $1m final, which will be held on June 18. Market Based brings some handy form with two wins in his last three starts.