A childhood dream will come true for Oamaru driver Matthew Williamson today at Addington. Williamson (23) has landed the drive on Four Starzzz Flash in today's $650,00 New Zealand Trotting Cup, and he admits he could be a bundle of nerves - even though that is not part of his usual race day psyche.
Victorian Andy Gath has had a pretty good view of one of the stars of New Zealand harness racing, Christen Me.
Darryn Simpson might feel he deserves extended rostered breaks during his doorman shifts at Dunedin bar the Bog over the next few weeks.
Forbury Park has proved to be a delightful track for Delightful Song, and her driver sees no reason why that trend cannot continue tonight.
If I didn't like the world of racing, I'd be in the wrong job this week.
A $50,000 race is not generally a trial, but plans for The Glitzy One next weekend could be decided with tomorrow's run in the listed Metropolitan Trophy at Riccarton.
It's hard to keep up at this time of year. We're almost through the Melbourne Spring Carnival, but before you know it, New Zealand Cup week is upon us on Saturday. Matt Smith, the veteran of a few cup weeks in a working capacity, guides you through the busy week.
Paul Richards is no stranger to riding winners at the home of the Melbourne Cup, but he will be one of the proudest people on course if the winner at Wingatui today is a horse he trained.
Speed may feature in Live At Speed's name, and her trainer, Robbie Holmes, hopes he finds a bit of that in the mare at Addington tonight.
I'm not a fan of business jargon. You know the words and phrases I'm talking about - ''green fields approach'', ''going forward'', ''maximising potential''.
Ruby's Rose had the judges double-checking their stopwatches after a sizzling 800m jump-out at Wingatui yesterday.
The second-guessing is over - Bitobliss is definitely not a contender for this year's New Zealand Trotting Cup.
There are some useful bowlers in the Bluff Bowling Club syndicate - but their choices in racehorses aren't too bad either.
A feast of runs in Wellington in October - not a phrase you hear too often in New Zealand first-class cricket.
Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen seem to have a firm hold on the 3yr-old sires' stakes heats at Forbury Park this season.
A win in today's Meads Cup final against Mid Canterbury would cap off an unforgettable year for North Otago captain Ralph Darling - even if it was not his birthday this week.
Last season's star filly, Adore Me, may have been a largely unknown quantity in the sires' stakes heat at Forbury Park last year, but there will be no flying under the radar for Venus Serena in this year's edition.
Ridley can decide his short-term future when he takes on other mile hopefuls in the Coupland's Mile Prelude at Riccarton tomorrow.
The progeny of Yamanin Vital are still doing the job on the race track, even four years after the White Robe Lodge stallion's death.
One eye is still on the white ball for the Otago Volts ahead of the Plunket Shield match against the Wellington Firebirds at the Basin Reserve starting on Sunday.
