Kaikoura snippets

Kaikoura Trotting Club will hold it’s feature harness racing meeting tomorrow at the picturesque South Bays Raceway.

Robert Dunn has Charlie Brown and Mighty Looee starting in this year’s Alabar Kaikoura Cup. He’s previously won the race six times, with Classie Brigade (2019, 2020 and 2021), Franco Nelson (2016) and Master Musician (1992 and 1993).

Over the twenty four years the South Bays Trotters Cup has been raced, four horses have gone on to win the Dominion Handicap in the same year: Sundees Son in 2022, Habibi Inta 2019, I Can Doosit 2012 and Whatsundermykilt 2006.

When Warloch and Heisenberg line up in Monday’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales Series Age Group Classic, they’ll start as previous winners of the event. Heisenberg won the race in 2019 and Warloch in 2022. In fact it will be Heisenberg’s fourth start in the feature and Warloch’s third.

If Mystic Max wins the South Bays Trotters Cup he’ll become only the second horse to win the race twice. The other was Bordeaux in 2016 and 2017. The only three time winner is I Can Doosit (2010, 2011 and 2012).

In the fifty six year history of the Kaikoura Cup, six horses that have gone on to win the New Zealand Cup. Lazarus (2017), Arden Rooney (2015), II Vicolo (1995 and 1996), Trusty Scot (1978) and Humphrey (1968).

The Bob Rochford Memorial Mobile Pace is a feature of today’s racing.Rochford was an integral part of the Kaikoura harness racing community, serving on the committee, and as President for a number of years.
Bob trained twenty two winners, and the first was Chance Haven (Noodlum) which won on his beloved Kaikoura track in October 1989. The mare was 9/9 in the betting and paid $16.85 and $5.25. The Kaikoura Cup that year was won by Gina Rosa who beat Luxury Liner.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink