The unbeaten Victorian pacer Cullen Bromac confirmed a trip to Christchurch for the $300,000 PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales Pace for 2yr-olds on Saturday week with his fifth win at Melton on Saturday night.
Beaudiene Bad Babe, easy winner of the Country Cups Final at Ascot Park on Saturday, has a $20,000 free-for-all at Addington on Saturday week as a final lead-up to the Harness Jewels at Cambridge on June 5.
Trainer-driver Michael House is hoping the draw will give him the edge with Royal Cee Cee in the final of the Southland Oaks tomorrow.
Stuart Manning, the Tauranga trainer, achieved another first on a South Island track when Diamondsareforever was successful at Waterlea yesterday.
Eric Ryan, who died this week, was described at his funeral at Addington raceway as one of the last great characters of harness racing.
Smiling Shard ran a 3.7sec faster time than Courage To Rule when the New Zealand-trained pair qualified for the $100,000 New South Wales Derby at Menangle on Friday night with heat wins there yesterday.
Winton trainer Lauren Pearson has settled on a one-win race at Invercargill as the next start for Montecrengle, an impressive first up winner on his home track on Saturday.
Wingatui trainer Steven Anderton is confident Slip Into Satin can back up successfully at Wingatui today.
A trip to Auckland this month remains on the agenda for The Fiery Ginga, who was involved in a horrific motor accident last Friday.
Captain Peacock, winner of the New Zealand Derby on Friday night, added to a remarkable achievement by his Ashburton breeders, brothers Keith and Bevan Grice.
Andrew Taggart had his first win as a trainer yesterday at Wingatui, where his father, Barry, trained his first winner 46 years earlier.
A freshened The Meista will be in demand for the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton tomorrow.
A start for Kotare Mach in the New Zealand Derby tonight will provide an opportunity his owners Tony and Gay Abell bypassed 36 years ago.
Trainer Ali Malcolmson has stepped aside for Peter Ferguson to drive VC Ezy at Invercargill tomorrow.
Master Bomber, now trained by Gerard O'Reilly, won his heat at the Chertsey Trotting Club trophy trial day at Ashburton yesterday.
The New Zealand-bred It's A Dud won the $A166,000 Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank yesterday.
Paul Davies has retired as an auctioneer of standardbreds after 40 years on the job.
Todd Mitchell is back driving Baileys Dream in the Easter Cup next Saturday.
Titsgittin enhanced his prospects for the $75,000 Riverton Cup with a resounding win in the Hororata Cup at Riccarton on Saturday.
The person who threw a ballpoint pen into the field of horses nearing the finish of the $1 million New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington in November has been disqualified for two years and ordered to pay $350 costs after a judicial inquiry.
