Harness Racing Victoria •

Brown holds all the aces with a great gate in a field full of stars - Harness Racing Victoria

Promising young New South Wales-driver Jack Brown might hold all the aces in a star-studded Hyland Harness Colours Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint on Saturday night. In a field comprising of Group 1 stars Catch A Wave, Leap To Fame and Captain Ravishing, former Victorian-trained pacer Curly James could be the one to watch. The six-year-old now in the care of Jason Grimson has had seven runs with two wins and two placing for the new camp. Brown, 20, has been tasked with transporting the winner...
Harness Racing Victoria •

'We couldn't be happier': Fighter Command on the road to recovery - Harness Racing Victoria

Jess Tubbs has given an update on three-year-old pacer, Fighter Command during a special exclusive with Paul Campbell from Campbell’s Comments. Fighter Command was back in the paddock after requiring emergency colic surgery. The emerging superstar boasts nine wins from 12 starts and was set to represent Tasracing in the 2024 edition of the TAB Eureka. “He is bright and well and still on confinement as far as being locked up, he is not allowed in the paddock with his friends,” Tubbs said as...
Harness Racing Victoria •

From boxing gloves to football boots to reins: Ted Jepsen's life in sport - Harness Racing Victoria

Ted Jepsen is a man of many talents, who has seen and done much more than any of us could imagine. In his early days as an amateur boxer to an elite-level footballer in the VFA, and now as a hobby harness racing trainer, the 89-year-old has worn many hats throughout his extraordinary career. The Lockington horseman had his 46th winner as a trainer at Cobram on Monday afternoon when the James Herbertson-piloted, Soho Playgirl saluted in the third event on the card.
Harness Racing Victoria •

Captain Ravishing set to gauge form against Leap To Fame - Harness Racing Victoria

Astute trainer Freddy Taiba will use Saturday night’s Group 3 Hyland Harness Colours Smoken Up Sprint as a gauge to see where Captain Ravishing lands against champion pacer Leap To Fame ahead of next week’s Sportsbet Victoria Cup. “It lets us know where we are at, he (Leap To Fame) is a champion, he is a good gauge for any horse and is good for the sport,” Taiba said. Captain Ravishing will head into Saturday night’s $50,000 event third up after strong wins at Geelong and Melton.
Harness Racing Victoria •

Captain Hammerhead up against an elite field in Smoken Up Sprint - Harness Racing Victoria

Captain Hammerhead will be needing luck on his side in Saturday night’s Hyland Harness Colours Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint. The David Moran-trained pacer has to contend with a tricky draw and star-studded field featuring boom pacer Leap To Fame if he is to put his hand up for next week’s Sportsbet Victoria Cup. The four-year-old is making his race day return for the first time since suffering an irregular heartbeat in his outing at Menangle on August 31. “He is good, he worked awesome this...
Harness Racing Victoria •

Queensland duo target Victoria's biggest features - Harness Racing Victoria

Queensland power duo Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen are primed to target Victoria’s biggest features for geldings and mares. The Sunshine state-pairing will prepare The Janitor in the $20,000 Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby and Aardie B Miki for the $20,000 Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks. The Janitor is set to make his first appearance outside Albion Park in Saturday night’s 2760m event. “Everything is good with him and he is a progressive type and he is improving every time,” regular d...
Harness Racing Victoria •

'He was a champion': Justice reflects on Smoken Up - Harness Racing Victoria

Saturday night’s Hyland Harness Colours Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint is set to paint a vivid picture of what we can expect heading into October 12's Sportsbet Victoria Cup. The race named after the champion pacer has continued to grow since its inception in 2014, with the likes of Lennytheshark and Bling It On featuring on the honour roll. Smoken Up's trainer and regular driver Lance Justice has fond memories of his time spent with the winner of over $3million in prizemoney. “He was an abso...
Harness Racing Victoria •

Edward puts faith in training duo ahead of Victoria Cup defence - Harness Racing Victoria

Successful owner-breeder Bruce Edward is banking on master trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin’s experience to win a second-straight Sportsbet Victoria Cup. Last year’s champ Act Now could enter the $300,000 Grand Circuit classic first-up after a lengthy break, which has seen him away from the races since November 17, 2023. “He is ready to go and hopefully he will get in (the Victoria Cup),“ Edward said. ”He has had a long time out and we have taken our time. “We were in no hurry,...
Harness Racing Victoria •

Grima targets Queen Of The Pacific with My Moonlite Dream - Harness Racing Victoria

Rising New South Wales trainer Seaton Grima is set to target Victoria’s time-honoured Group 1 Benstud Queen Of The Pacific with My Moonlite Dream. Grima, 21, picked up the five-year-old mare from fellow NSW trainer, Jack Trainor. “She had her first start up in Queensland for me and she won her first few (races) around Albion Park. She rose up in grade pretty quickly,” trainer-driver Grima said. “She was in the Group 1 Golden Girl - she ran eighth, but she didn’t disgrace herself. Ever s...
Harness Racing Victoria •

Lifestyle change spurs Butlers' move from Tasmania to Victoria - Harness Racing Victoria

A change in lifestyle is set to see husband and wife team Marc and Kirsty Butler make the move from Tasmania to call Victoria home. The pair will relocate to Kyabram located in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley to continue their harness racing pursuit. “It is just a bit more of a lifestyle change and more opportunity to race during the week,” Marc Butler said. “It was just a spur of the moment thing, we saw the property pop up and we had a look and kind of made our minds up there and then on t...
Harness Racing Victoria •

Standing start deubt: Can Arcee Phoenix rise to the Kilmore challenge - Harness Racing Victoria

A Kilmore success to a New Zealand adventure is the path that Chris Svanosio is hoping to take with his star squaregaiter Arcee Phoenix. The five-year-old has had two runs this preparation ahead of Friday night’s Group 3 MC Labour Kilmore Trotters Cup. “I have been happy with his two runs,” trainer-driver Svanosio said. The gelding out of Justa Phoenix is set to line-up for his first race under standing start conditions.
Harness Racing Victoria •

Star filly Keayang Zahara set for Melton return after Vicbred dominance - Harness Racing Victoria

Keayang Zahara will grace the track for the first time since her resounding win in the Group 1 Vicbred final for three-year-old trotting fillies when she tackles Saturday night’s Aldebaran Park Need For Speed Princess heat at Melton Entertainment Park. The star squaregaiter extended her winning streak to six with a stunning 13m triumph in the $100,000 event on September 14. “She has come through that run good,” regular driver Jason Lee said.
Harness Racing Victoria •

Hard work and sacrifice pays off in Group 1 rewards for Barker - Harness Racing Victoria

Jackie Barker can finally add not one, but two Group 1 crowns to her resume after a magical Vicbred Super Series final’s performance on Saturday night. The Hamilton based reinswoman took out the three-year-old colts and geldings final with the Emma Stewart-prepared Miki To Success, before combining with stablemate Iveseenheavenslight 30 minutes later. “I’m still processing it all,” Barker said. “It’s just massive.”
Harness Racing Victoria •

Heidi George Classic returns with big plans and prized stallion services - Harness Racing Victoria

The second running of the Heidi George Classic is set to kick off this week with heats at Echuca and Swan Hill. The series created by Llowalong Farms principal Dr Kath McIntosh was designed to create an incentive to bring revenue to country clubs. “I have been working at harness racing tracks for probably the best part of 15 years and I always sponsored the clubs,” Dr McIntosh said.
Harness Racing Victoria •

Van Ryn banks on Tooby Gold's grit for Heidi George Classic glory - Harness Racing Victoria

David Van Ryn has his sights set on etching Tooby Gold’s name on the honour roll of the Heidi George Classic for 2024 ahead of her heat appearance on Sunday at Echuca. The series was set up by Dr Kath McIntosh from Llowalong Farms for mid-class pacing mares, last year’s inaugural series was taken out by the Ellen Jones-prepared Ellas Reason. This year’s series will be run with heats at Echuca (September 22) and Swan Hill (October 1) before the final at Bendigo on October 9.
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