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WOULD HAVE been a good trip home for the Jason Grimson stable when they took four starters to the ten-race Bathurst meeting last Wednesday night and drove home with four winners.

For the thrill seekers a $50.00 all up on the Queensland TAB for the four winners - The Queens Gambit (Race 2), Andretti (Race 3), Bettorlightem Up (Race 5) and Oh Its On (Race 6) – Totaled up to respectable collect of $338.00.

All four were driven by champion freelance driver Cam Hart.

CONGRATULATIONS GO to not only one of the good guys in the industry but also one of the most astute horsemen about, in Goulburn based trainer Brad Hewltt, who notched up training win number six hundred (600), when Palladium NZ won at Menangle on Saturday night.

That win takes him very close to ticking over $8mil in stake money.

He’s also very close to nine hundred and sixty (960) driving wins.

WHILE WE are patting participants on the back, a big well done to Invercargill’s Riley Black in picking up his first driving winner when Train Station took out race two at Invercargill on Thursday afternoon.

At just his third race day drive the win was even more special for the apprentice electrician as Train Station is trained by his father Alister and part owned by mother Sherae.

A day to remember for some time for Riley !!

ALSO BEEN a pat on the back to now Central Districts based Michael Hay on driving a double at Cambridge last Thursday night.

Winning with Cee Whatabet in race three, a son of Betting Line (USA) who his Ashburton based “Hall Of Fame” training father John couldn’t win a race with and backed up driving to win the John Gommans trained Rhaegal two races later.

Rhaegal’s win was driving win sixteen (16) for Michael for the season which is his best season since 2005 when he drove twenty-four (24) as a junior driver when employed by his father.

Granted between 2014 and 2024 he wasn’t seen in the form guides as stepped away from the industry for that time.

INTERESTING SINCE the last HRNZ CEO has moved on before his contract was completed there has already been reductions on obligations made during his era.

The Harness 5000 stake money has been reduced by a whopping 60%, and many would say why was the race day held in December at Ashburton put in place in the first place.

It can only cost the industry even with the reduction in stake money.

We now also see the “New Gen” concept has been put a line through, along with the Team Teal charity fund raising concept that’s been around for a number of years !!

ON THE other foot thoroughbred racing in New Zealand seems to be travelling well.

A media comment made recently that the Auckland Racing Club, who race at Ellerslie have $5mil tucked away to add to stake money this season, plus their Champions Day, which is in March, have already sold out their corporate venues certainly signals that.

We also note several of the hospitality areas on New Zealand Galloping Cup Day are also well and truly sold out – They only came up for purchase at the start of this month.

VERY SAD to hear of the passing of an old mate in Greg Pedofsky which will be a name not well known to all harness racing participants.

For his last years Greg resided and trained pacers in the South Canterbury township of Waimate, after living many years and bringing up a large family in my old hometown of Temuka.

Greg would be one of the few about, as a hobby owner / trainer who trained winners in all three New Zealand codes - Thoroughbreds, Greyhounds and Standardbreds.

Taking his licence out in 1993 and training his last one in 2011, his standardbred endeavours brought three winners and the last was way back in 2005.

I can tell many a good story about Greg – All truthful and many very funny.

Even though Greg was some twenty years older than myself we got on famously.

Proudly on my wall is a photograph of a galloper I had a third share in way back in the 70s winning at Rangiora.

Leylan Lass was her name and trained by Greg and ridden by the late Geoff Lee – The deal was the local butcher and local “Bookie” in Bill Jones paid the farrier and Vet, I paid for the horse feed and Greg trained her.

I was even too young to have my name in the ownership or the racebook, as those days you had to be twenty-one years of age.

That’s a while ago - We did have a lot of fun racing that mare – We loved a road trip !!

I can hear his late wife Joan yelling at Greg once he got up above  “ What’s taken you so long” – Something she used to do often when we were both out and about !!

Rest In Peace my friend.

SPEAKING OF New Zealand greyhounds, well known and very successful multiple Group 1 winning NZ Greyhound trainer Craig Roberts trained his first winner since leaving New Zealand and taking up training in Queensland last Thursday night at Q2.

Craig is also involved in the New Zealand harness racing scene as an owner and breeder, along with his partner Ang Washington who has a trainer’s licence.

It will be interesting to see if they become involved with the Queensland Harness Racing scene in the future, but getting their kennels up and running is their major priority.

They plan to have a total of sixty (60) dogs in work at one time in the weeks ahead.

UNTIL NEXT week best regards to all.

Stuart and Marg Valentine