News Briefs – 21 July

Harness racing news briefs for 21st July.

Huge upset at Albion Park

The Nathan Purdon-trained pair of Amazing Dream and Spellbound were all the rage to win the $100,000 Group One Garrards Golden Girl at Albion Park on Saturday night. But it was Jeradas Delight who upset for trainer Jack Butler and driver Brendan Barnes. The six-year-old Bettors Delight mare paid $254 on the local tote in Queensland, and $126.60 on the TAB in New Zealand. The winner will now face the big guns like King Of Swing and Copy That in Saturday’s massive Group One Blacks A Fake at 10.14pm on Saturday night.

Four wins separate top two in Junior Drivers Premiership

Just four wins separate John Morrison (59) and Sarah O’Reilly (55) in the Junior Drivers Premiership with two weeks of the season left. After chalking up her 100th career victory, she went on to win the weekend’s Junior Driver Championship at Addington on Sunday. She also won the very last race at Forbury Park earlier in the month. In the Drivers Premiership Blair Orange is a runaway winner on 176 from John Dunn (138), while Robert Dunn will win his second training premiership in a row, he has 122 wins, with Michael House next best on 77.

First dead-heat payout

Punters in this country have benefited for the first time from the TAB’s new dead heat initiative. At Auckland on Friday night nothing could separate Rough And Ready (David Butcher) and the Josh Dickie-trained and driven Callie’s Delight. Normally the dividend would be shared but under the new ruling punters were paid out in full. Rough And Ready paid $7.50, Callie’s Delight $4.

Busy weekend for Take After Me

Dual-gaited 10-year-old Take After Me’s in for a busy and varied few days. The Fred Scott-trained son of Holmes Hanover will race in a trot on Friday night at Addington, and then back up in a pace on Sunday. Take After Me has won 13 overall – four as a pacer, and nine as a trotter – with total earnings of close on $180,000.

Sniper heading back to Hunter

Two-win pacer American Sniper is heading back to Henderson Hunter, after having eight starts for Robert Dunn. The four-year-old had his first four starts for Henderson who also bred the He’s Watching gelding. He’s had two wins from 12 starts, one each for Hunter and Dunn. He’ll line up at race 4 at Addington on Friday

Debut for well-related youngster

Superstar pacer Ride High’s half-sister is set for a race day debut this Saturday at Kilmore in Victoria. High Profile, a Emma Stewart-trained Always B Miki filly, is expected to have plenty of support, following a second in a trial at Maryborough earlier in the month.

Harness Racing New Zealand