News Briefs October 14

2021 for Young Drivers Championship 

This year’s Australasian Young Drivers Championships will not go ahead, with organisers saying COVID-19 and travel restrictions made it impossible to proceed. It is hoped next year’s championships will be held in conjunction with the 2021 Interdominions in New South Wales. They are set down for Menangle, Newcastle and Bathurst, with the finals on December 12.

Toni Street set for debut 

A half sister to Copy That, Toni Street will make her debut at Cambridge tomorrow night.  Named after the media personality,  the  three-year-old Bettor’s Delight filly will start in Race 3. But trainer Jeremy Young is tempering expectations despite the horse’s good trial form of late.

“She’s got the visitor’s draw  (outside second line) over 2200 metres so she will get a long way back early on. It’s going to be learning exercise.”

Depending on how she goes Young says he’ll think about a Dunstan fillies heat at Auckland on October 23, and/or a fillies race at Ashburton during Cup week.

 Milestones galore at the weekend 

And Jeremy Young was among those achieving milestones over the weekend. He had his 50^th training success with On A Roll in Auckland on Friday night. Steve Harding (Manjimup, Methven) and Mike Curry (Kingsdown Atom, Methven) both had their first winners as trainers and the father and son partnership of Jason and Ian Thomas also had their first win since joining ranks this season. They were successful with the John Dunn-driven trotter Chief of Staff at Methven (R11).  There were also  driving trebles for Todd Mitchell at Alexandra Park with Taipo (R3), Kango(R5), and Invictus (R8) and Nathan Williamson at Invercargill with Ragazzo Mach (R6), Pembrook Playboy (R7) and Chinese Whisper (R9).

Allabout Time heads north 

Allabout Time, the winner of the NZB Standardbred Harness Million Fillies Consolation at Addington, is heading north to join Regan Todd’s Woodend stables. The three-year-old Bettor’s Delight filly was with the Kirstin Barclay – Tank Ellis barn in Invercargill for her opening two races. After a first up 12^th at Winton she won at Addington on October 2, albeit in the Fillies Consolation that only featured three starters. 

Top line-up of trotters for feature 

A quality and even line-up of three-year-old trotters has been confirmed for Friday night’s feature race at Addington. It’s the Group 2 Haras des Trotteurs Sires Stakes Mobile Trot over 1980 metres. Included in the lineup are  two-year-old trotters of the year Eurokash  and Time Up The Hill, as well as the well-performed Leaf Stride, the All Stars’ Paramount Princess and Wanna Play With Me and Paul Nairn stable-mates Outamyway and Bitamuscle.

Methven  closed for maintenence

After their very successful meeting last weekend,  the Methven Trotting Club has advised that its grass track will be  closed for the next three weeks due to maintenance and the Mt Hutt workouts on the 24th will not be held. The all-weather training track will remain open .