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Chilcott goes twofer on a Tuesday

By Brigette Solomon Cambridge trainer Nicky Chilcott has rounded out the year’s final Trot into Tuesday meeting at her home track with a winning training double.“It was a great night, I was rapt with the horses and a few of their owners were on course to enjoy it which was awesome,” said Chilcott.Chilcott’s first winner of the night was Katies Princess who took out the Flair Junior Drivers Trophy Mobile Pace driven by stable employee and junior driver Leah Hibell.In a confident driv...

A first and a 100th at Cambridge

By Brigette Solomon, HRNZTwo very contrasting milestones were recorded at Cambridge Raceway last night, with Cliff Wilson scoring his first win in the amateur ranks, and Logan Hollis reining home his 100th winner.Wilson’s winning drive was with the Steve and Amanda Telfer trained Medina Magic who took out the TFS Horse Transport Mobile Pace over 2200 metres. It was a fitting victory with Wilson having been a valued staff member at Stonewall Stud for the past 10 years. The win was also the firs...

Mr and Mrs Ferguson have first win

The newly minted Mr and Mrs Ferguson had their first training win as a partnership at Cambridge Raceway last night when Mike Ross won the Hidden Lake Hotel and Apartments Mobile Pace. Jo and Dylan joined forces as a partnership on September 1 after getting married in August. Paying $15 for the win the Bettor's Delight two-year-old got the perfect trail for Dylan Ferguson behind hot favourite Crumsy before zipping up the passing lane to win by a neck. It was their first training success win in 15...

Jason Teaz brings up the ton at Cambridge

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk By his own admission Jason Teaz isn't one to get too nostalgic or sentimental. But at Cambridge last night he trained his 100th winner, acknowledging it was a "pretty big achievement" and one worth celebrating. He brought up the milestone with Always B Charlie, who led all the way in the Christmas At The Raceway Tickets On Sale Now Mobile Pace for driver Peter Ferguson, before clearing out to win by three lengths. "There was a time when I t...

Johnson's good form continues at Cambridge

By Brigette SolomonJunior driver Emily Johnson's ability with the square-gaiters was again on full display at Cambridge last night.The 20-year-old and her employer, Tamahere trainer Sean McCaffrey were a winning combo as Wind Of Change scored his maiden victory in the Hire A Venue At Cambridge Raceway Trot.“He was really good tonight,” said Johnson, “I was a bit cautious to let him go too much in the run home, but he did it easy enough.”The three-year-old gelding by Southwind Frank had s...

Danielle Green's disbelief at first training success

By Brigette SolomonMorrinsville trainer Danielle Green almost didn’t believe it when she scored her first training win at Cambridge last night when Shirley Bassey took out the IRT Your Horse Our Passion Mobile Pace.“It was pretty exciting but it took a minute to register that she’d actually won,” said Green, “I’d watched the race with Warren Taylor who owns her and I said ‘did she just win?’”“He had a laugh and assured me she had, so I gave him a hug and thought I better get ...

Trek north to Cambridge reaps rewards for Stephen Doody

By Brigette Solomon, HRNZManawatu trainer Stephen Doody combined with junior driver Crystal Hackett to score a winning double at Cambridge Raceway last night.With four runners engaged at the meeting, Doody started the night off with a bang, taking out the quinella in the Oktoberfest Tickets On Sale Now Handicap Trot when Sweet Olivia held on for a second consecutive win, ahead of stablemate Johnny Who.“Good runs from both trotters tonight,” said Doody, “I actually thought Johnny Who could ...

Two from two for Matthew White at Cambridge

By Brigette Solomon, HRNZClevedon-based trainer-driver Matthew White scored a winning double at Cambridge Raceway last night, from his only two drives on the night.White had just one starter from his own stable, Power N Glory and then drove Iron Brigade to victory for Steve and Amanda Telfer.“I was really pleased to get the win with this filly,” says White of his success with Power N Glory in the Trot Into Tuesdays, Win Your Share of $5k Mobile Pace over 2200 metres. “It’s been a lo...

Kate Coppins' first win - "the best feeling"

By Brigette SolomonIt was a very memorable night for junior driver Kate Coppins when she scored her first driving win at Cambridge Raceway last night.The 19-year-old from Morrinsville has had her junior drivers licence for just three weeks, with her victory with President Flynntin coming at just her fourth drive. Making the win that extra bit special, was that President Flynntin is trained and owned by Coppins' grand-mother, Jill Coppins.“I grew up racing at Kidz Kartz in Nana’s colours and ...

Merlin magic in $1m Race by Grins

By Jonny Turner, HRNZMerlin was more than magical in his national record-smashing win in the $1,000,000 The Race by Grins at Cambridge tonight.The brilliant four-year-old’s star shone even brighter than ever before when he downed a classy field in emphatic style.Merlin drew outside his arch-rival Don’t Stop Dreaming which set him a huge task to win according to most of the pre-race hype.But it proved to be up a task the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained star was well and truly up for.“...

Just Believe's "huge achievement" in winning the TAB Trot

By Michael Guerin, HRNZThe little Aussie horse who has been all over the world Just Believe needed to produce a world class performance to win Friday’s $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge.The Victorian overcame having the hardest run sitting parked to head home an Australian domination of the locals, clawing his way past Callmethebreeze and Queen Elida for a stunning victory in the 2200m mobile.He was driven to perfection by Greg Sugars, whose wife Jess Tubbs trains Just Believe, as he allowed the ...

Merlin too good in Flying Mile ahead of next week's $1m The Race by Grins

By Michael GuerinThe man who has achieved almost everything possible in Australasian harness racing now has a new target.Hall of Fame trainer Barry Purdon, and training partner Scott Phelan, have three shots at their first $1million race at Cambridge next Friday.And judging by the performance of their three starters in Thursday night’s Gr.2 McMillan Equine Feeds Flying Mile Pace at Cambridge, they are the stable to beat.Merlin showed he has gone to the next level when he sat parked to beat sta...

Mahia Dreamin overcomes heart issue to win at Cambridge

Mahia Dreamin’s big syndicate of owners are open to every description of her Cambridge win on Thursday night except “heart-stopping.”Even saying she showed plenty of heart to stave off Jaccka Cooper after a stirring early speed battle might touch a nerve.That’s because it’s taken six months for the Summer Fun Syndicate’s mare to regain her best form after first suffering an atrial fibrillation then a myriad of other issues in the interim.After fibrillating in a training run last Sept...

Coterie announced as headline act for Night of Champions

Coterie, winners of the prestigious Best New Artist award at the 2023 Rolling Stone Aotearoa awards, will headline the Night of Champions afterparty at Cambridge Raceway on Friday April 12. The band of four brothers, who were born in New Zealand and raised in Western Australia, were the first band signed to Six60’s music label Massive Records. The band has over 30 million streams, four NZ Gold records and their breakout hit “Cool It Down” reached platinum status in 2022, they’v...

Champion Australian trotter Just Believe takes TAB Trot slot

Champion Australian trotter Just Believe has been secured by Taylor St Racing Syndicate for the inaugural $575,000 TAB Trot (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway on April 12. The Jess Tubbs-trained square gaiter has an impressive resume. He’s a two-time Interdominion champion who just last week became the first Australian-bred trotter to earn over A$1 million in prizemoney after winning the Gr.2 BetaVet Dullard Trot Cup (2240m) at Melton. “We’re thrilled to have the best trotter in Austra...

Leap To Fame being set for The Race by Grins

Australia’s champion pacer Leap To Fame is heading to New Zealand.Leviathan owner Kevin Seymour said it was no longer an if, but a when Leap To Fame crossed the ditch to chase the $1 Million The Race by Grins at Cambridge on April 12.“The race is a target and we are well advanced in talks with slot holders,” he said.“We said a while back he wouldn’t be going to the Perth race and that NZ was the aim.“We’ve got a pretty clear plan in place and it includes taking him to Cambridge.“...

Sacred Mountain flys home in Cambridge Raceway feature

By BARRY LICHTER“We were running but I didn’t think we were going that fast.”It came as news to trainer-driver Nicky Chilcott that Sacred Mountain broke the New Zealand mares’ record for a mobile 2200 metres in Thursday’s $40,000 Cambridge Trotters’ Flying Stakes - but she described as “insane” the feeling she had while flying along in front.“It’s just the best feeling when you’re in front and charging," she said. “I like to look at the sectionals on the semaphore board b...

Dickie lands double at Cambridge

By Brigette Solomon, HRNZOnly recently back from a stint in Australia, Josh Dickie reined a double at Cambridge Raceway yesterday.Both winners were trained by Dickie’s new employers, Steve and Amanda Telfer, the first being Slots in Race 3.The three-year-old colt by Sweet Lou was too good for his rivals powering away to win by a margin of three and a quarter lengths. From his starting draw of seven, Dickie allowed the gelding to work around to the lead and from there he never looked like being...

Sacred Mountain puts on angelic performance

By BARRY LICHTERTrainer Nicky Chilcott credits Matamata vet Barbara Hunter with turning Sacred Mountain from the wicked witch of the west into an avenging angel at Cambridge on Christmas Eve. Chilcott was fizzing about how well the classy trotter had come up this preparation only to see her perform poorly in her first run back and fail to even go away in her second.“She got into a real state before that first race at Cambridge and felt terrible even in the warm-up. And at Auckland she had...

Leap To Fame could tackle Race by Grins

Newly crowned Inter Dominion champion Leap To Fame has surprisingly emerged as a likely runner in Cambridge’s The Race by Grins.It was long believed Leap To Fame would tackle Perth’s slot race – the Nullarbor – around the same, but owner Kevin Seymour ruled that out today.“He won’t be going to Perth, but we’re looking seriously at NZ,” he said.“We think it’ll be an easier trip and a more suitable race. If he goes to a slot race, it will be Cambridge.”Leap To Fame stamped hi...

Queen Elida and TAB chasing a crown at Cambridge in April

One of the best trotters in Australia is coming home to her country of her birth after Queen Elida was secured for the TAB slot in the TAB Trot Slot at Cambridge in April. The five-year-old mare, who is second favourite for the upcoming Inter Dominion Trotting Championship in Queensland, has established a brilliant career record, winning 30 races to date, including seven at Group 1 level. She is proudly Kiwi-owned by Canterbury trainer Tony Barron, part-breeder Gordon McKenzie and thei...

TAB Trot Slot holders confirmed

Eight slot holders for Australasia’s first slot race for trotters, the TAB Trot Slot, have been confirmed.The inaugural edition of TAB Trot Slot (2200m), which will carry an initial stake of $575,000, will be held at Cambridge Raceway on April 12, 2024.Waikato-Bay of Plenty Harness Inc. have today released the names of the slot holders who will be scouting for runners in the first edition of the ground-breaking race for trotters aged three or older. They are: TAB NZAldebara...

Filly rewards connections with Cambridge win

By BARRY LICHTERTrainer Nicky Chilcott says few moments can trump the feeling she had when bringing debut winner It’s Nae Or Never back to scale at Cambridge on Friday night.“There’s a huge syndicate that races her and so many of them were there. It was a fantastic feeling coming back to scale, the area was jam packed.”The big turnout on a wet night ended a frustrating wait by the two dozen odd owners in the filly whose hopes of seeing her race in the Young Guns series at Auckland were d...

TAB Trot Slot added to the Grins Night of Champions

Waikato-BOP Harness Racing, Entain Australia and New Zealand (TAB) and Harness Racing New Zealand are excited to announce Australasia’s first slot race for trotters, the TAB Trot Slot (2200m, mobile) worth $655,000.The ground-breaking race will be run alongside The Race by Grins for pacers on the illustrious Night of Champions at Cambridge Raceway on Friday April 12, 2024.“Our vision for the Night of Champions is ambitious,” Cambridge Raceway CEO Dave Branch said. ...

Mantra Blue goes three from three

By Michael GuerinHave we finally found a serious challenger to unbeaten filly Millwood Nike?Mantra Blue’s stunning recovery performance to win the Nevele R 50 Years of Success heat at Cambridge on Thursday night suggests we might have, even if trainer Zachary Butcher is trying to keep a lid on expectations.Having just her third start Mantra Blue not only looked in trouble having to start from the outside of the front line but her winning chances should have ended soon after the start as she wa...