News Briefs : October 7

Methven Cup’s milestone

Sunday’s Methven Cup is technically the 100th anniversary of the great race. On February 5 1920 the first Methven Cup was held, though it was a non-tote meeting. The club held its first totalisator event on October 8 1927. Sunday’s race will be held at 3.28pm (half an hour before the All Blacks-Wallabies test starts in Wellington) with a top class field that includes the first three home in last week’s Canterbury Classic - Self Assured, Spankem and Tango Tara.

Betting turnovers on a high

Harness Racing turnovers continue to be strong, with Addington’s Friday meeting night totaling $1.353 million on 11 races. That’s the highest average per race since lockdown, though the highest total was the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club’s meeting at Motukarara. That was $1.364 million, but on 12 races.

Fast10 is back

It’s been confirmed that Fast10 will return just in time for Christmas. The meeting will be held at Addington on December 18, starting around 2pm with ten races over sprint distances, all completed in two and a half hours. The first and only Fast 10 so far was held in December 2019. It’s about quickfire action just like T/20 cricket or Fast5 netball.

Change of scene for Nevada

Three-year-old Nevada, a winner in Auckland on July 29, has been transferred from the All Stars Stables to Josh Dickie in Clevedon. The son of Bettor’s delight has won one from seven career starts for Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen and in recent starts has had to take on the likes of Krug and American Dealer.

CLUB NEWS

Northern Southland Trotting Club:

The first weekend meeting of the Southern Harness Racing season takes place this Saturday when the Northern Southland Trotting Club host the opening meeting of their season at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Saturday 10 October.

The timing is great if you work weekends or have Saturday morning sport as the first race is at 2.20pm with the last of ten at 7.08pm.
Admission at the gate is free but $40 will give you a spot at the Top Of The Park where the viewing is great and food and beverage is all part of the price of your ticket.

Place the coupon from your race books in one of the barrels around the course to go in a draw to win a flight to Stewart Island courtesy of Stewart Island Flights – it could not be easier.

The Caduceus Club Of Southland will be running an auction on course on the day with superb prizes such as a meal for ten at Food Affair In Gore, a ladies day out plus beauty package, stallion services to Majestic Son and Ultimate Machete, a load of sawdust, a kilo of whitebait, horse gear, horse feed, Cortaflex Horse Products, processed lambs, a pig, food hampers and much more.

Tote operators will be on course to personally take your bets.

Owners can head to the Alabar Owners Room on the first floor where they can enjoy hospitality throughout the day while an Owners Prize draw will take place with the club drawing a winner at each of their three race days this season (10 October, 13 January, 13 March) to culminate with the announcement of an overall winner who will win a mystery prize at the club’s Cup Day on Saturday 13 March.

Prior to the meeting the club has drawn two winners of a $100 betting voucher to use on the day – the sponsors winner being Nevele R Stud and the members winner Jarrod Lindsay.

Lindsay Beer Promotions Officer Southern Harness Racing
03 217 4288  |  021 351 499

Auckland Trotting Club:

The next two race nights at Alexandra Park will see a clash of the 4YO Trotters looking to take the honours in the PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales Trot on Friday 9th October and then 2 weeks later in the Haras des Trotteurs Sires Stakes Trotters Championship.

At the end of October the ATC will host the final for Magness Benrow Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies after having had heats earlier in the month.

The ATC launched their packages for Christmas at the Races 2020 at Alexandra Park this week.