News Briefs : May 26

Hopes go 700

The husband and wife partnership of Greg and Nine Hope achieved 700 training wins when Muscle Mountain won the IRT – Excellence in Equine Airfreight FFA Mobile Trot at Addington last Friday night. With Midnight Dash finishing second it was a Hope-trained quinella. They’ve since had win number 701 with Dalness First winning at Rangiora on Sunday.

Unusual Group One quinella

It was a rare female driver Group One quinella when Natalie Rasmussen and Sam Ottley finished one-two with Bettor Twist and La Rosa in last Friday’s The Breeders New Zealand Pacing Oaks. But it has been done before, including when Heaven Rocks (Rasmussen) and Mr Mojito (Kerryn Manning) finished first and second in the McMillan Feeds 4YO Emerald at the Ashburton Harness Jewels in 2017.

IRT Harness Jewels draw on Friday

The draw for the IRT Harness Jewels will be made on Friday afternoon. It will be done randomly by computer, and details will be on the HRNZ website on Friday afternoon. The Harness Jewels, featuring nine $100,000 Group Ones, will held at Cambridge Raceway on Sunday June 6. It is hoped to have shadow fields on the website by Thursday afternoon.

History-making legend dies in Australia

Forever associated with Miracle Mile and dual Interdominion winner Hondo Grattan, Tony “AD” Turnbull has died, aged 91. He was the first in Australia to drive 2000 winners and received an Order of Australia medal in 1990 for his services to harness racing. Three of his children, Steve, Cindy and Craig are all involved in the sport, as our several of his grandchildren including Emma and Amanda Turnbull.

Superwoman gets first Group One

Trainer-driver KerryAnn Morris has been labelled “superwoman” after winning her first Group One just three weeks after giving birth. Morris won the $100,000 TAB Regional Championships Metropolitan Final at Menangle on outsider Eye Can Run ($57). Morris had daughter Stella in April and was back in the sulky 12 days later.