Bits and Bridles

Canterbury harness racing father and son Jeff and Luke Whittaker have gone into training partnership.

Luke has recently returned from a stint in Australia where he drove 61 winners, including Wee Man Trouble to win the Group One Queensland Trotters Cup for Shannon Price.

Before leaving for Australia Luke drove 45 winners in New Zealand, the first being Hot Flush trained by Tony Herlihy at Cambridge in December 2017.

He’s also trained a winner – Chalberg at Cambridge in September 2020.

Since 1982 Jeff has trained 124 winners.

Diamond Racing rolled out some of their harness racing big guns at Rangiora trials today as they start to crank up their efforts to win the Trainers Premiership.

The partnership has 14 horses entered including nine race winners Who’s Delight (Bettor’s Delight), New Zealand Trotting Oaks victor Sunnys Sister (Majestic Son), Ace Of Clubs winner Tyron Eros (Majestic Son) and Charlie Brown (Art Major).

Robert the Jenna Dunn currently lead the New Zealand Trainers Premiership with ninety nine wins, twenty two clear of Steve and Amanda Telfer.

Forgotten trotter Five Wise Men (Muscle Hill) is also back at the Rangiora trials today.

As a three year the Craig and Aimee Edmonds trained gelding won the three Group Ones – The New Zealand Trotting Derby, the Northern Trotting Derby and the Three Year Old Ruby.

The now six year old hasn’t been seen at the races since racing at the Central Otago meeting at Omakau in January 2023.

Phil Williamson produced five two year old trotters at the Oamaru trials yesterday including a full sister to Empire City.

All five ran in the same heat with Have A Little Faith (Majestic Son) beating her stablemates.

With HRNZ yesterday confirming nine Group and Listed races for two year trotters between September and the end of the year, Williamson has plenty of high end races to target.

Sundon stallion Marcoola has left his first qualifier.

Two year old trotting filly Senior Constable Liz, qualified at Rangiora last month for Rolleston trainer Bernard Lomas.

Marcoola has 22 two year olds on the ground.

Sam Thornley has taken the lead in the Junior Drivers Premiership.

The Canterbury based horseman has 39 wins and leads from Carter Dalgety who’s on 38 and Wilson House on 31.

Dalgety is currently driving in e US but is due back in the country in September to drive horses like All You Need Is Me and Krug, leading into the New Zealand Cup Carnival. So the premiership race could go into overdrive.

House could also close the gap. His father Micheal always produces plenty of winners at the Manawatu meetings and they come on stream in November/ So it’s game on.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink