News Briefs - October 21

$100,000 Pick 6 confirmed for Ashburton

Ashburton’s Labour Monday meeting will feature a $100,000 guaranteed terminating Pick 6, a first for harness racing meetings in this country since lockdown. It will be on the last six races starting at 3.02pm, and includes the day’s two feature races, the Ashburton Flying Stakes (including Self Assured, Spankem and Copy That) and the Ashburton Flying Mile for the trotters (including Temporate, Majestic Man, One Apollo and Heavyweight Hero).

Sunday Double-Header

A day before Ashburton’s big meeting on Labour Monday there’ll be a Sunday double-header for harness fans. The Tuapeka Harness Racing Club’s meeting at Forbury Park in Dunedin starts at 12 noon, while Cambridge will also host 10 races, starting at 3.57pm.

Dunn hits 300

American-based Kiwi Dexter Dunn has brought up another milestone in the USA, winning his 300th race in 2020. He is ninth overall for winners in the U.S. with Aaron Merriman leading the way with 548. But after a spectacular run of success Dunn is the leading stakes-earner, with $US7.917m (nearly $NZ12m) for the year. Tim Tetrick is second with $US7.15m.

Addington treble for Close

Robbie Close has had his most successful night of the 2020-21 season, reining home three winners last Friday with Yorokobi (R1), That Alexander Guy (R3) and Doff Your Cap (R9). That takes him to eight for the season, including a double with Hells Shadow and Fast Ace on August 9 at Addington. His best tally was the 51 he achieved last season.

Memphis on the move

Fittingly given his name Memphis Tennessee has headed south. Formerly with Terry Chmiel in Canterbury the five-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding is now with Brett Gray at Ryal Bush in Southland. Part of Wayne Higgs’ well-known Memphis family the horse has banked nearly $100,000, among his five wins was last year’s Group 2 Southern Supremacy Stakes final at Ascot Park.