Aussie stars lining up for Cup Week tilt

The Australian harness racing assault is building.

While the Inter Dominion Carnival has only been wrapped up for a few days, the next targets for many of Australia’s very best are being planned.

And New Zealand Cup Week beckons.

The now richest standardbred in Australasian harness racing history Leap To Fame is certainly the touted leader of Team Australia. After coming so close to taking part in last years New Zealand Trotting Cup, the burning desire for both Grant and Trista Dixon as well as Kevin and Kay Seymour to take on the million-dollar feature is there. It is not a foregone conclusion, however, that he will be at Addington on Tuesday November 11, with a concrete decision to be made in the next two weeks. The rescheduled Blacks A Fake and Sunshine Sprint on his back doorstep would be at his mercy if he was to stay at home base.

Swayzee’s entire back half of 2025 has however been moulded around an attempt at a Cup threepeat. Given a long break post his Nullabor campaign, connections made a conscious decision to miss the Inter Dominion to give him every opportunity at a return to New Zealand soils.

Set to begin fast work in the next week, it is likely he will miss the Victoria Cup in preference for some standing start races or trials before flying in on the Sunday before Cup Day as he did in 2024.

Greg and Skye Bond have “always wanted to have a horse in the New Zealand Cup” and are hoping to bring two stable representatives this year. Minstrel has been their leading light in the last few seasons, while the duo’s opinion of up-and-coming Gee Heza Sport has him also in consideration. Adding to the potential is the fact that both geldings are still part owned in New Zealand interests.

Minstrel is set to return to the racetrack in three weeks’ time after a spell post placings in The Nullabor and Fremantle Pacing Cups. The winner of both of those races, Mister Smartee, is also being touted for a Cup campaign. Earning more than $1,200,000 in just 23 career starts, the son of Always B Miki is receiving the highest of praise from his Hall Of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr. With Gary Hall Jnr representing Australia in the World Drivers Championship which begins at Kaikoura, it could be a huge fortnight for Western Australia and the Hall family.

Australian trotters have managed to dominant New Zealand Trotting features in the last 18 months, and a strong contingent will be looking to continue that theme.

Recently crowned Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix is set to stamp his passport for a fourth time when he targets the Dominion Handicap once again after finishing fourth in 2024. He is likely to be joined by Gus and Parisian Artiste with both sets of connections expressing interest and starting to put plans in place to be a part of the Carnival.

By Brittany Graham for Harness Racing New Zealand