HOT OFF THE PRESS: 3 win Canterbury based trotting mare with breeding. Raced Friday at Addington - NZ$22,000.
NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP week is over for another year and whichever code you follow, there was a heap of great racing provided.
With great stake money up for grabs, if it was at the gallops, harness racing or the dogs, the standard of racing was extremely good.
The cool weather, along with its unforgiving wind, may have kept a few away from both Addington and Riccarton but turnover should have been more than respectable overall.
It will be interesting to see the official figures and weighing that up against the prizemoney provided and the cost to provide the racing, both on course and off course.
THE FIELDS on both New Zealand Trotting Cup day and on Friday's Free For All day at Addington were of high class, with the Ashburton meeting on the Thursday, which saw fourteen races basically going around every twenty-five minutes, also produced above average turnover figures.
All owners and trainers are very aware of the good prizemoney available in these times, but also in the back of their minds they must wonder how long will it last ?
ONE VERY positive common comment, speaking to participants on the ground in New Zealand harness racing, is the acceptance and praise for the new HRNZ CEO Brad Steele.
The most negative is “What’s going to happen to harness racing in the North Island – In particular Auckland.”
The South Island guys are jacked off with their racing propping up Auckland and now that the sale of Pukekohe is now very much in doubt, there is serious concern by all and sundry.
THE NUMBERS for each of the 2025 New Zealand Yearling Sales to be held during next February will become public in the days to come.
If the figures being bantered around are correct, the Christchurch sale will be down about fifty yearlings available for purchase, compared to last year’s catalogue.
Instead of it being a two-day sale, it will be all held on one day – Tuesday 18th February.
THE VERY good KerryAnn Morris trained trotting mare Funky Monkey NZ (1.54.1, 17wins, $234,110) has been retired after a recent injury and is heading to stud.
She is more likely to go to the Muscle Hill sired Tactical Landing USA (1.50.4, $811,800).
THE GEOFF DUNN stable has recently lost two of its mainstays with The Falcon NZ (1.56.6, 8 NZ wins, $190,525) being purchased just before Cup week, by the Jason Grimson stable, and the well-bred Art Major (USA) gelding Laver NZ (1.51.9, 9 NZ wins, $158,260) flies tomorrow to the stable of Goulburn based horseman Brad Hewitt.
We wish both sets of connections, all the very best with their new acquisitions.
UNTIL NEXT week best regards to all.
Stuart and Marg Valentine
