Goose chase over – Robbie gets 500

For Canterbury harness racing driver Robbie ‘Goose’ Close the wait is over. He’s hit the 500 wins mark!

The milestone came tonight at Addington when he drove Time And Tide (Somebeachsomewhere) trained by Regan Todd, to win Race Nine.

Close’s first win was First Art for Robbie Holmes at Addington in August 2010.

Regan Todd has provided Robbie with his greatest number of winners (121) and there’s been good support from Andrew Stuart (32), John Howe (31), Matt Purvis (27) and Robbie Holmes (19).

Addington Raceway has been Close’s favourite hunting ground providing 186 of his 500 winners along with Forbury Park (37), Rangiora all weather (34), Motukarara (28) and Mount Harding (28).

Horses that have notched up the most wins for the Canterbury reinsman have been Monkey’s Way (8), That Alexander Guy (8) and Terry (7).

Close’s biggest win was in the G1 New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Stakes driving Bettor Talk Art. He’s also won the G2 Macca Lodge/Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks final with Treacherous Gall and G3 races with Splash Cola, Ariella, Play Philly and Treacherous Gall.

Close who’s in his thirteenth year of driving has also won the Junior Drivers Championship in 2015, dead heating with Stevie Golding on 42 wins.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink