Dunns close gap in trainers’ premiership
The race to become the country’s top trainers is far from clear-cut. Steve and Amanda Telfer currently lead with 74 wins, but Robert and Jenna Dunn are now only five winners adrift after having five winners this month, compared to the Telfers’ one. The Dunns’ latest successes were with El Chico and Methven Cup winner Smiffy’s Terror last Sunday.
Latest withdrawals for NZ Cup/Dominion
Stylish Memphis, Copperhead Rose, Sam’s Town, and Cast No Shadow have been among the latest horses to officially withdraw from the IRT New Zealand Cup at Addington on Tuesday, November 8 while in the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot Kahress, Habibi Inta, Aflyin Spur, Over The Love, Sioux Princess and The Fox have also been taken out.
Beach move for Consolation winner
Angel Of Montana, who was good enough to win a Nevele R Fillies Consolation at Addington last year, is moving to the beach. Formerly trained by part-owner Stephen Anderson, the four-year-old mare will be trained by Bob Butt at Woodend. The horse has won three from 32.
Allywag wins battle of the Hanovers
There was a Kiwi connection to this week’s big showdown at the Red Mile in Kentucky – but not the one that most expected. Superstar pacer and world record holder Bulldog Hanover and champion Kiwi driver Dexter Dunn were all the rage in the $153,000 Allerage Farms Open pace, only for Allywag Hanover to run him down in 1:46. That equalled the track record set by Always B Miki in 2016. Allywag Hanover’s trainer is ex-pat New Zealander Brett Pelling, who also won earlier in the day with reigning U.S. Horse of the Year Test Of Faith while Dunn had three winners on the card including one with star filly Niki Hill.
Arty arrives stateside
It has been a huge weekend for Team Tritton with Lochinvar Art arriving at their upstate New York stables on Saturday. Shane Tritton confirmed the Hunter and Victoria Cup winner would be given a break and not race until February. “It’s great to get him here so early. He doesn’t need to be right at his top until late March, so we can bring him up our way,” he said.
New wagering record in Victoria
Saturday’s Victoria Cup meeting at Melton is expected to set a new wagering record for harness racing across the Tasman. While the data is still being collated turnover is projected to exceed $10m, eclipsing the previous record, also set at last year’s Victoria Cup meeting, by about eight per cent.
Bondi moves to McCarthys
Three-time Group One winner Bondi Lockdown has joined up with the already all-powerful Team McCarthy stable in Sydney. The change was prompted by the star pacer’s bleed earlier this month with owner Aaron Dunn saying a repeat would see him banned from racing in Australia. He decided to entrust the horse with Belinda and Luke McCarthy instead. Bondi Lockdown has won 13 of 32 starts for Dunn.
Curtain falls on ID champion
Last year’s Inter Dominion trotting champion Maori Law has run his last race after the recurrence of a stress fracture. A string of injuries and setbacks restricted Maori Law to just 64 starts across six-and-a-half years of racing, but he still managed 21 wins and 22 placings. Trained by ex-pat Kiwis Richard and Emmett Brosnan, his five starts this campaign netted a win and five seconds, including his final run when a fighting second in the Group 1 Australasian Trotting Championship on September 10.
Cup week bowling tournament
Entries are now open for a Show and Cup week bowls tournament at the Burnside Bowling Club on Sunday, November 6. It will a triples tournament, with teams representing harness racing, the thoroughbreds and the greyhounds, all vying for the Racing Cup Week Code Cup. To see details on how to enter click here
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