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RACING HISTORY

HORSES

Punters were left in awe of High Energy after her heroine-like performance in winning the Group 1 Canterbury Spa & Pool Ace Of Hearts 2YO Filles Mobile Trot (1980m) at Addington Raceway on Sunday.

From her wide draw (7), High Energy was eased off the gate by co-trainer and driver Mark Purdon but was stuck three wide behind The Fiery Countess, where they were forced to remain.

Heading into the back straight Purdon elected to make his move four-wide and was able to find the back of The Ivy League, who gave the pair a cart into the race.

Despite expending a fair amount of energy during the running, High Energy lived up to her name down the straight and found a new gear to flash by the leaders and post a remarkable 2-1/2 length victory and beating her own New Zealand record in the process.

“It was a great run. It didn’t go to plan, but she was good enough to overcome it,” said Purdon, who trains in partnership with Hayden Cullen.

“I tried to get one off the markers but the horse’s legs were just there so I had to come back out.

“The horse I was following (The Fiery Countess) was going nowhere, so I thought ‘once we get into the back I will just have to take my chances and make a move’.

“I knew the possibility that I could be racing wide from then on, but I was lucky enough to get cover off Blair Orange down the back and around the corner, and that was probably the difference in winning.

“Around the last corner she picked the bit up and I thought ‘she is going to win this’. She gave me great confidence and she won on her own.

“She is a great little trotter.”

With the victory, High Energy joins her dam High Gait as a Group 1 winner, cementing her spot in the breeding barn.

Bred and raced by Breckon Farms, High Energy extended her undefeated record to five, with her victories including the Group 3 2YO Trotting Stakes (1980m), Group 2 Sires’ Stakes 2YO Championship (1980m), and now the Ace Of Hearts.



Credit: By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

HORSES

His second-line draw may have kept him out of favour with favourite punters, but it proved no issue for Don’t Stop Dreaming who led home a sea of blue in the Group 1 Ace Of Spades 2YO C&G Mobile Pace (1980m) at Addington Raceway on Sunday.

The Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen-trained juvenile had won five of his previous six starts, including the Group 1 Sires’ Stakes Final (1980m) last start, however it was stablemate Sherlock who was backed into favouritism after he drew the one marble.

Purdon kept his faith in Don’t Stop Dreaming and elected to stick with the colt, with the knowledge he would have to show his superior qualities in order to defeat his favoured stablemate.

Purdon eased his charge off the gate to settle at the rear of the field before pressing forward and assuming control of the race off Sherlock with a lap to go.

Don’t Stop Dreaming didn’t relinquish his advantage and saw off a late challenge from Sherlock to win by a neck, with a further 2-1/2 lengths back to Sinbad in third, while Final Collect and Vinke B completed the first five for the All Stars barn.

Touching on his driving tactics, Purdon said he felt he needed to make his move when he did otherwise he would risk getting boxed in.

“Johnny (Dunn) was outside me early and when he got to the death I could hear others coming and I thought the three-wide line would block him in, so I opted to make a quick decision to get out and get going with him,” Purdon said.

“He was clearly well today and once he made the front he was going to be hard to beat, and he held Sherlock off well.”

Purdon was rapt for his winning connections, which include well-known owner Ian Dobson.

“Ian is an elderly gentleman now, but he is getting a great thrill out of his horses,” Purdon said.

Don’t Stop Dreaming was purchased by Purdon out of Studholme Bloodstock’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft for $250,000.



Credit: By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

HORSES

The least talked about of Paul Nairn’s incredible talents as a horseman shone through when Confessional ran to a commanding win in the Group One Ace Of Clubs at Addington on Grand Prix Day.

All of Nairn’s skill with a young trotter was on display when the youngster powered away from his rivals in a national-record breaking victory.

Nairn’s drive was as good as his horse’s brilliant performance.

Over the years, the trainer has handed the reins of his star horses to a line up of top class drivers including David Butt.

These days it’s Butt sitting in the stands as a successful part-owner and breeder of Confessional as Nairn is tasked with making the decisions on the track.

The result was Nairn producing a steer as good those Butt produced for him behind his champions of the past in Stig and Call Me Now.

Though in typical Nairn style, the trainer-driver downplayed his effort.

“Davey was happy enough for me to drive him, especially with young trotters it is an advantage to train them and drive them”

“Everything worked out good today.”

“It was a privilege to have the drive, actually.”

Confessional not only beat his rivals, he effectively gave them a head-start in doing so by starting from the unruly.

Though he had broken in just one of his five prior starts, the horse is far from foolproof and wears plenty of gear to help him get around.

“It has been a wee bit of trial and error, he just wasn’t very solid in his gait,” Nairn said.

“He was galloping and we were never quite sure why, that is the reason he wears the gear.”

“We are still not sure why, whether it is the grit or something else but he has got a lot more solid.”

Given he will eventually get even better in his gait and come off the unruly, Confessional will be an even bigger force for his rivals to contend with.

The trotter is the third foal from David and Catherine Butt’s brilliant trotting mare Habibi.

The Butts bred and race Confessional with Bolty and Lynne Paterson.

Confessional stopped the clock in 2-25.5, smashing the previous 1980m New Zealand record of 2-27.7 held by Ultimate Stride.

Paul Nairn just missed out on the quinella in the Ace Of Clubs with Tectonic just a neck behind runner-up Southern Diamond.



Credit: By Jonny Turner

HORSES

Next level is the only way to describe Millwood Nike following her record-breaking win in the Ace Of Diamonds at Addington on Grand Prix Day.

The brilliant filly’s performance was so good, it just about had to be seen to be believed.

On a national-record-breaking speed, the star Mark Purdon and Hayden sat parked throughout before breezing by her rivals at the top of the straight as if that sizzling pace had meant nothing to her.

Clearly a champion of her year and unbeaten in eight starts, Millwood Nike is simply made of different material to the average horse.

And Mark Purdon thinks it is the filly’s top-two inches that sets her apart.

“She has just got all of the attributes, she didn’t take anything out of herself sitting parked.”

“That is very important when you are racing at this level and things don’t quite go your way.”

“We did think it might work out that way, that she would be left parked, but she relaxed nicely and was able to quicken when I asked her to.”

Sunday’s win was Millwood’s Nike’s third at Group One level following her record breaking win in the Sires Stakes Fillies Championship last month.

Though she was clearly there before the race, her stunning victory clearly pushed Milwood Nike higher into rarefied air, occupied only by some of New Zealand’s greatest ever two-year-old fillies.

“Eight for eight at the end of the year, to run a national record at the end of the year and the way she did it,” Purdon said.

“She is the best filly.”

Aardiebytheseaside and Kahlua Flybye filled the placings behind Millwood Nike as they did in the Sires Stakes Fillies Final.

Aardiebytheseaside worked to the lead, setting up Sunday’s national-record breaking time before fighting on bravely.

The Steve and Amanda Telfer trained filly still lead passing the 200m before she was reeled in late by the winner.

In any other year, the filly may have been a two-time Group One winner, but she has come along at the same time as a champion filly in Millwood Nike.

The winner stopped the clock in the Ace Of Diamonds in a 2-20.3 time for 1980m.

In doing so, Millwood Nike broke the 2-21.2 national record time she set in the Sires Stakes Fillies Championship on Show Day.

Millwood Nike is raced by rugby league identities Frank and Shane Endacott, and Stephen Byrne, Steve Thompson and Bruce Irvine, following her purchase at the National Yearling Sales.



Credit: By Jonny Turner

HORSES

The experience was completely different, but the result was exactly the same when Copy That joined harness racing’s greats as a two-time IRT New Zealand Cup winner at Addington on Tuesday.
Driver Blair Orange brilliantly constructed a carbon copy of the star pacer’s 2021 victory in New Zealand’s greatest race to seal the five-year-old’s place in the harness racing history books as a modern-day great.
Trainer Ray Green watched on from his Auckland living room as his brilliant horse won last year’s New Zealand Cup in front of a Covid-restricted crowd.
This year, the veteran trainer got to soak in every minute of the build up to his horse’s cup defence in front of a packed house at Addington.
Many of them were well-wishers and Green loved every minute of it.
“It is great, there is a real atmosphere here and I think this horse has got a real following now,” the trainer said.
“A lot of people were cheering him on and wishing us well and it is great that he was able to do it for them.”
“The game needs these kind of horses.”
A second New Zealand Cup victory continued the epic journey Green’s wife Debbie has been on with Copy That.
She picked the horse out of a weanling sale for a bargain price five years ago and the pair have been inseparable since.
“Debbie is pretty close to the horse, she loves him,” Green said.



The Greens sold Copy That to stable clients Merv and Meg Butterworth who were also denied the chance to see their star horse win at Addington last year.
But the Victorian couple were on hand to collect their third New Zealand Cup trophy, also having won the great race with Arden Rooney in 2015.
Though it may have looked that way to Cup Day patrons who were back at Addington after a two-year hiatus, it wasn’t just a matter of Copy That turning up and repeating the dose in his cup defence.
Green perfectly plotted the massive task of bringing Copy That back to peak athleticism following a hind injury soon after last year’s win.
And he got his timing absolutely spot on.
“We took a few punts along the way to get him back to his best, like taking him to Australia,” Green said.
Orange was full of praise for Green’s brilliant training performance as he returned Copy That to his best.
Though the reinsman clearly controlled the race tempo, the victory wasn’t handed to Copy That on a platter.
The pacer copped pressure from the bell, before going on to register the third-fastest winning time in New Zealand Cup history - 3:54.00.
“It shows just what a good horse [Copy That] is and Ray has done a fantastic job to get him back from Australia at full fitness, and at the top of his game,” Orange said.
Majestic Cruiser got within three-quarters of a length at the finish, charging home from well off the pace to run second.
The Australian raider got stuck behind tiring horses before the home turn, before launching his brilliant finish.
Spankem took third after trailing the winner throughout, recording his third New Zealand Cup placing.
Spankem held his placing after a protest following some hope-straight bumping with his stablemate Akuta, who was excellent in fourth.


Credit: Johnny Turner HRNZ News 8 Nov 2022

HORSES

Hotpot Don't Stop Dreaming won the $170,000 Woodlands Stud Sires' Stakes Final, giving the All Stars their second Group 1 win of the afternoon.

Driven by Mark Purdon, Don't Stop Dreaming made the most of his front row draw (2) to take the lead early but handed up to the unbeaten Merlin as he looped the field from his poor draw (15) and into the lead. Merlin, who went into the race with eight wins from as many starts, was super brave finishing fourth, with Don't Stop Dreaming's stablemate Sherlock also impressive in finishing second with Alta Meteor third. Don't Stop Dreaming paid $1.70 and $1.20.

Many may have been surprised with Purdon's tactic to take the trail with the favourite but he later said it "was the winning of the race"
"I was keen to stay in front but I could see that horse was over racing so had no option."

Don't Stop Dreaming has now won five of his six starts.




Credit: HRNZ News 8 Nov 2022

HORSES

Addington racegoers cheered home a champion as Sundees Son produced one of the greatest trotting performances in harness racing history to win his third straight Renwick Farms Dominion Trot.



The Robert and Jenna Dunn trained superstar had to dig deep into his stamina reserves to win the Show Day feature, willing himself to an incredible victory after fighting out a home straight war with runner-up Muscle Mountain.
The roaring reception Sundees Son and driver John Dunn got when they returned to the birdcage demonstrated the enormity of the trotter’s victory.
Robert Dunn dared to compare the epic battle between Sundees Son and Muscle Mountain with New Zealand’s most recognised test of horse racing’s stamina – Bonecrusher and Our Waverly Star’s 1984 Cox Plate.
Nobody on track argued with the trainer given what they had just witnessed.
“It was like Bone Crusher and Our Waverly Star coming down the straight – our guy is just an out-and-out champion.”
Trained by Dunn and daughter-in-law Jenna, with son John driving and Jenna’s father Craig Edmonds at the horse’s side every day, Sundees Son preparation is a family affair.
John Dunn summed up exactly what the horse meant to the Dunn-Edmonds clan after Sundees Son’s epic win when returning to meet his hordes of adoring fans.”
“He means a lot to them, but he means even more to us.”
The enormity of Sundees Son’s victory was set up by the amount of work the horse was forced to do in the running.
Muscle Mountain and driver Ben Hope gained a key advantage over their main rivals when finding the lead and parking Sundees Son.
Dunn pressed forward to take to eventually find the front before immediately being attacked by Oscar Bonavena.
That early tempo meant the first half of the Dominion was run quicker than the closing half, setting up a battle of attrition over the final 400m.
Sundees Son was clearly headed by Muscle Mountain inside the final 200 metres, but the winner somehow lifted himself to a courageous victory.
“He must have a massive ticker there, he has got the personality to go with it but he has got the motor.”
“He was out on his feet on the furlong, Muscle Mountain ranged right up to me and looked like he was going to go straight past.”
“To dig deep like that, he is a true champion.”
Sundees Son is bred and raced by Colin and Nancy Hair, who now have three Dominion trophies to put on their mantlepiece.
Immediately after yesterday’s win Hair admitted he was still coming to terms with what he had witnessed.
Sundees Son stopped the clock in 3-58.4, slower that his 3-56.6 record breaking Dominion win last year.
A strong wind and much cooler conditions at Addington than in 2021 are likely to have had an effect on the race time, despite the hectic tempo of this year’s race.


Credit: Johnny Turner HRNZ News 11 Nov 2022

HORSES

By Michael Guerin

Driver Olivia Thornley spent much of Sunday’s $175,000 IRT New Zealand Oaks worrying that the tactic she thought up to win the race may actually end up costing her it.

But the yet-untapped ability of No Matter Wat was enough to overcome her fierce pulling and provide the popular Thornley with the first Group 1 victory of her driving career.

No Matter Wat went into the Oaks a big improver after a stunning third in the lead-up last Friday week but while Thornley hoped she could win she thought a top three finish would be a great result so set about putting No Matter Wat’s mind on the job.

“After she galloped away last week I gave her a real rouse up in the prelim to get her mind on the job,” says the 22-year-old.

“The problem was it worked too well and she thought she had to go like that the whole race.

“I was really happy to get her off the gate so well and get the front but when she kept going and wouldn’t really come back to me I started to worry.

“So I tried to control her and keep her from choking down but then later she started to get some of her Harry Houdini steps going and I thought she might break.

“After all of that to get her home was such a relief but also an amazing buzz.

“This is why we are in the industry to try and get wins at this level so to break through is a wonderful feeling.

“And I have had so many people contact me, my phone has been blowing up after so thats really great to have that support.”

No Matter Wat held out the passing lane surge of Obsession with favourite True Fantasy third after sitting parked in the 1:56.8 mile rate for the 2600m.

Thornley has been making a name for herself as a driver for the last two years but it is as one of the head staff at All Stars and a constant travelling companion for their elite horses that she is most recognized.

Go back through the footage or files of recent Group 1 winners in New Zealand and you will see plenty of Thornley’s trademark smile helping some of our best horses back to the stables.

“I have been there (All Stars) seven years at Christmas, I started when I was 15,” she says.

“They have been very good to me and I am learning so much and I realise the great opportunities I get. So to get that Group 1 for everybody else at the stables and the owners as well feels good.”

It isn’t just driving that interests Thornley heading forward though as she and her mother Jackie have a broodmare now and are on to their third co-bred foal so Olivia is already working her own youngster with more to come.

“I don’t actually work him at the All Stars cause we are full so I go work him afterwards.

“We have two now by Creatine (stallion) out of the mare from the family breed and I love the trotters.

“So that gives me another thing to work on and learn from.”

No Matter Wat’s emergence suggest she is going to be an even better four-year-old next season in a crop that feels like many of the participants have plateaued after the longest three-year-old season ever.

Judging by what she was able to do after over-racing Krug-style from the Northern Derby last year, No Matter Wat may have a bright future.
So too, does Thornley.



Credit: Michael Guerin

HORSES

Muscle Mountain capped a massive day for owner Ian Dobson at Addington Raceway’s Grand Prix Meeting on Sunday.

His victory in the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All (1980m) was Dobson’s third of the meeting, following Don’t Stop Dreaming’s win in the Group 1 Ace Of Spades (1980m) and Akuta’s win in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2600m).

With archrival Sundees Son withdrawal from the race earlier in the week and Bolt For Brilliance’s absence as a result of the Inter Dominions, Muscle Mountain was backed into a short-priced $1.30 favourite for the feature trot.

From his ace draw, Ben Hope drove Muscle Mountain positively off the mobile arm and took an early lead, seeing off an early challenge from Majestic Man.

Hope was able to dictate terms up front and Muscle Mountain looked in control throughout, running away to a 2-1/2 length victory for trainers Greg and Nina Hope, and posting a new New Zealand record of 2:22.9.

Muscle Mountain was brave when runner-up to Sundees Son in the Gr.1 Dominion Trot (3200m) last month and Hope was rapt to be able to go one better on Sunday.

“His work after the Dominion has been superb. He had a week off after it and he came back awesome,” he said.

“He looks phenomenal, and he has been training phenomenal.

“There are no certainties in racing, but I knew that if he was on his game it would take a special horse to beat him over the short distance.

“In my opinion, he is the best horse in the race and I think you have to drive him like it.”

Hope was pleased to get another Group One for Dobson, particularly having recorded his first elite-level victory in the bike behind Muscle Mountain in the NZ Trotting Championship (2600m) last year.

“Ian has shown a lot of faith in me, so it is great to reward him with another Group One win,” Hope said.

Victory in the Trotting Free-For-All is nothing new for the Hopes, with the Woodend Beach operation having tasted success in the race with their former top trotter Monbet.

“Monbet won it twice. He was a super horse and so is this guy,” Hope said.



Credit: By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

HORSES

Robert Dunn has long held Master Musician as the best horse he has trained, his email address even bears the pacers name, but his near 30-year reign in that pinnacle spot could be coming to an end.

Sundees Son is quickly coming after that crown and inched closer at Addington Raceway on Friday when taking out the Gr.1 Fred Shaw Memorial NZ Trotting Championship (2600m).

It was the ninth Group One victory for the seven-year-old gelding and he once again stamped himself as the top trotter of the modern era in New Zealand.



From his ace draw, Sundees Son was crossed early by Muscle Mountain, however, driver John Dunn immediately sent his charge forward to recapture the lead.

In his customary style, Sundees Son ran his opposition into the ground, posting a new New Zealand record of 3:10.4 for the 2600m mobile trip, beating a brave Muscle Mountain by 1-3/4 lengths.

“It was a great drive by Johnny,” said Dunn, who trains in partnership with his daughter-in-law Jenna.
“You could see him looking across and he knew Ben (Hope, driver of Muscle Mountain) had the momentum and he did the right thing in not pushing Sundees Son to try and hold him.

“Luckily enough there was enough space to come out straight away. It was a perfect drive by Johnny, as per usual.

“He seems to have that ability to run most of them into the ground. When he is in that zone, he is very hard to get past.

“The horse gets all the accolades he deserves; he is just unreal.”

Sundees Son has comfortably earnt the title as the best trotter Dunn has trained, and he said he has drawn alongside two stable predecessors that have earnt champion status in his eyes.
“Master Musician and Mainland Banner were two champions in their own right and he is up there with them,” Dunn said.

I am pretty privileged to have had three champions in our care, it has been pretty special.

“He is getting towards the top of the tree because he has had nine Group Ones and there could be another couple to come yet.”

Sundees Son will get the opportunity to add to his Group One tally when he heads north to Auckland this weekend to tackle a number of autumn feature races in the coming month.

“He is coming north on Sunday along with Five Wise Men, who I would say Craig (Edmonds, co-trainer of Five Wise Men and travelling foreman for Dunn’s stable) would be absolutely thrilled with running third, and Highgrove.
“Highgrove will target the Sires Stakes and Derby, and Sundees Son will have the National Trot, ANZAC and Rowe Cups.

“If he happened to win all three, dare I say it, I might have to put him ahead of the Master, but that is going to break my heart saying that.”

Credit : Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk, 9 April 2022


Credit: Joshua Smith