Marketplace primed for Harness Million tilt

The Harness Million Series kicks off at Addington Raceway tonight, where harness racing graduates of NZB Standardbred sales will look to claim their share of the $1 million prize pool.

An overflow of nominations will see a full field of thirteen quailty two-year-old pacers battle it out in the $200,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Final (1980m), to follow in the footsteps of race track stars Krug (Bettor’s Delight), Akuta  (Bettor’s Delight), Merlin (Bettor’s Delight) and Cold Chisel (Bettor’s Delight).

A stunning last start victory has Marketplace (Bettor’s Delight) primed for Friday’s feature race. The star two-year-old unleashed blinding speed when coming very wide and from close to last on the home turn to win a heat of the Sires Stakes Series at the same track last week.

Trainer Regan Todd is hopeful his stable star can repeat the dose this week, when he takes on a stellar field of NZB graduates.

But before the speedy two-year-old even hits the track, he has given his trainer a big thrill.

“It is great just to make this race, he will be my first Harness Million runner,” Todd said.
“This is why you go to the yearling sales, to have horses in races like this.”

Marketplace was purchased for $100,000 by Phil and Glenys Kennard of PI & GJ Kennard Bloodstock when he was offered among the Barron Bloodstock draft at the 2023 National Yearling Sale at Christchurch.

The Kennards race the classy pacer with Phil & Glenys Kennard, Peter Baken, Graham Beirne’s Small Car World Ltd, John Magness, as well as Todd.

After inspecting hundreds of yearlings across New Zealand, Todd and the Kennards knew they had found one they would love to take home in Marketplace.
“With Phil and Glenys we obviously go through all of them and try to narrow it down,” Todd said.

“He was a little bit later on in the sale at Christchurch and we loved him.”
“He had a really good head and body on him and he was just a lovely horse.”

“Working with Phil and Glenys, being able to secure these nice young horses has really taken the stable to another level.”
“What he has done so far has been a big thrill for all of his owners.”

Marketplace has progressed well since his last start victory and Todd goes into Friday night’s lucrative Harness Million Final hopeful he has the pacer right where he needs to be.

“He seems really well, we planned to have the two runs heading into it and everything has worked out well.”

“He will need things to go his way because it is a very good field.”
“You’d like to train any of the horses in that race.”

Phil and Glenys Kennard are also the purchasers of Harness Million starters Five Crowns (Bettor’s Delight) (NZ) and the Group One winner Rubira (Always B Miki) who looks a serious threat in Friday night’s lucrative feature.

Stonewall Stud are set to be a powerful force in the race having purchased and qualified four runners in Bar Louie(NZ) (Sweet Lou), Treasure Cove (NZ) (Captaintreacherous), Bettors Anvil(NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) and Tact Teva(NZ) (Lather Up).

The feature race kicks off at 9.28 pm at Addington.

For complete race entries, click here

From NZB Standardbred