NZ HARNESS NEWS
Phil and Glenys Kennard, NZ Harness Racing Owners of the Year, continued their success on both sides of the Tasman on the weekend.
The Christchurch-based Kennards’, co-owners of NZ Harness Horse of the Year Lazarus, were among the winners again in Victoria as co-owners of Stars Align (Bendigo, Friday) and Moonrock (Melton, Saturday), and again at Sunday’s Rangiora harness meeting as co-owners of Speedy Mach.
Speedy Mach, a four-year-old Mach Three gelding, is co-raced by the Kennards’ with Brad and Melanie Mowbray.
The horse has strengthened in recent months for successful Russley (Christchurch) strike rate trainer and co-owner Brad Mowbray.
Sunday’s win Speedy Mach’s third in his last four starts.
Junior driver Sheree Tomlinson sent second favourite Speedy Mach to the front, heading favourite Hypervelocity, with 1900m to run. They held by a neck in the rating 56-70 Dexter Dunn Driver of the Year Mobile Pace.
Leithfield trainer Robbie Holmes won the final two races with the impeccably-bred The Kiwi Way, a promising four-year-old son of top racemare and $500,000 winner Kiwi Ingenuity, and improving trotter Redwood Invasion, both strong front-running winners.
She’sa Tricky Bridge was an emotional winner of the Brian West Standardbred Breeder of the Year Mobile Pace for breeder and co-owner Blair Mills, formerly a Nelson, and until this season, a North Canterbury harness trainer.
Driver Jimmy Curtin wore a black armband to signify the passing of Doug Mills, father of Blair, who died two weeks ago, in his 92nd year.
She’sa Tricky Bridge, trained at Prebbleton by John McDermott, led from the outset and held tenaciously for her second win at her 46th start.
Curtin also reined Coral Beach to an upset front-running maiden win in the Rory McIlwrick Junior Driver of the Year Mobile Pace.
Peter T Cook, long-time secretary of the New Zealand Trainers and Drivers Association, added another string to his bow with success as an amateur driver in the opening Bishopdale/Bush Innn TAB/Tavern Harewood Mobile Pace.
This was his first official race win as an amateur driver, having recorded a third in 18 previous drives.
He races Bettor Backim with Ladbrooks trainer Sue Blake, who also holds an advanced amateur drivers licence.
From the ace draw, Bettor Backim was buried four back on the markers but unleashed a winning inside run to score an upset win.
This was just the second win in 69 career starts for Bettor Backim.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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