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RACING HISTORY

HORSES

Ricky May knew it, Steven Reid knew it too and some outstanding track work during the week ensured Simon McMullan knew it as well.

Yet not one of three men, who are all more than qualified to predict a big showing from a racehorse, were quite ready for what Utmost Delight managed to produce to the win the PGG Wrightson New Zealand Breeders Stakes at Addington on Friday night.

And some win it was too after almost nothing went right in the running.

Pushed four wide down the back straight, the daughter of Bettor’s Delight and former outstanding racemare Victor Supreme raced away from her rivals inside the final 200 metres to claim Group One glory in the most impressive of fashions.

“I thought she might have been the best horse in the race beforehand,” Ricky May said.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt about it now though, -that was massive.”

Also erased in the immediate aftermath of the race were May’s concerns that the four-year-old mare couldn’t do a whole heap of work in her races.

“She’s definitely a bit more than just a sit sprint horse,” May added.

Owned by legendary owner and breeder Charlie Roberts, Utmost Delight was represented last night by Roberts’ daughter, Mary and her Paul who told the tale of the question marks that were raised when Roberts purchased the multiple Group One winning broodmare.

“We did wonder,” Paul Kenny said.

“But as normal, Charlie has got it right and I just hope he was tuned into watch that because it was all for him.”

It hasn’t all be plain sailing though and there was a time when Reid wondered if she was ever going to live up to her talents.

“She got beaten a lot of times early on, when she shouldn’t have probably been beaten to be fair.

“There were a few issues there, but as is the case with the Bettor’s Delight’s when they’re good, they’re good.”

Reid had no fixed plans for what lies ahead for the mare, but did quip that he might start putting the hat around to get her over to Australia next week for the Ladyship Mile.

The win gave May his fifth win in the race to sit alongside; Mainland Banner, Carabella, It’s Ella and Frangelico - making him the outright most successful driver in the Group One feature.

Sheeza GNP gave Blair Orange an extra reason to smile on a night when drove his 1500th winner with her outstanding effort for second at a big price while American Empress burst through late to finish in third for Jeremy Young and Sailesh Abernethy.

Credit: NZ Harness News, February 2018

HORSES

In what was a minor harness racing upset, Rock N Roll Heaven gelding A G’s White Socks has ruined an All Stars clean sweep by beating the favourite More The Bettor in yesterdays $90,000 Group 1 Easter Cup.

The Purdon/Rasmussen team had looked on target for winning all six of the races they had starters in, until the Greg and Nina Hope trained A G’s White Socks charged down the centre of the track to claim a deserved win in the Addington feature race.

Driver Ricky May said after the race that he always thought A G’s White Socks was suited to the extreme distance of 3200m.

"He has gone well over the distance before in the Auckland Cup.

" Today he really sprinted when I asked him to go and he picked More The Better Up easily," he said.

A G’s White Socks paced the 3200m from a stand in 4-02.1 with a closing 800m in a sizzling 55.2 with the 400m in 27.1 seconds.

More The Bettor stuck on well for second after trying to lead all the way and Tiger Thompson also battled on well for third after working hard mid-race.

Credit: Harnesslink Media, April 2018

HORSES

Speedy Australian 3yo harness racing filly Shez All Rock has crushed the opposition in the $150,000 (Gr1) NZ Oaks in what was her first New Zealand start at Addington raceway tonight.

Co-trainer and driver Mark Purdon settled Shez All Rock back beyond midfield early in the race before looping the field to lead with 800m to go and then easily holding the rest of the field off up the straight.

In the end Shez All Rock won untouched by more than two lengths despite a skip and a gallop just after the line.

Purdon was rapt with the win saying she would improve a lot after tonights run.

"I wasn't sure what to expect tonight but she delivered and delivered stylishly.

"When we were travelling so well in the race and when I let her down a bit turning for home, I knew nothing would come off her back and beat her," he said after the race.

The race favourite Elle Mac was game in defeat running second and Bettor Trix was just as good in third, making it an All Stars trifecta in the race.

Shez All Rock (Rock N Roll Heaven - Irish Loch) paced the 2600m mobile in 3-11.0, with a closing 800m in 56.7 and 400m in 26.9 seconds.

Credit: Harnesslink Media, May 2018

HORSES

Top harness racing trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen have produced classy filly Elle Mac to win the Gr1 Nevele R Fillies final tonight at Addington Raceway.

Elle Mac was dominant in the $134,400 Final for 3yo fillies easily beating All Stars stable mates Bettor Trix (2nd) and Delight In Me (3rd) without being fully extended by driver Natalie Rasmussen.

Natalie said on the All Stars website, "All the fillies went terrific in the Nevele R. Elle Mac is just a lovely filly and she seems to be going to another level.

"She won really easily and the extra distance of the Oaks next week will actually suit her better.

"The other two fillies deserve praise. Delight in Me went a huge race and so did Bettor Trix because she had to do some work early.

"It is really satisfying to run like that in G1 races," she said.

Elle Mac paced the 1950m mobile in a slick 1-55.4 mile rate with a closing 800m in 55.9 and her last 400m in 26.8 seconds. She will be back at Addington next week for the New Zealand Oaks over the longer trip of 2600m.

All Stars Stables also scored wins with Ohanzee and Sicario during the night with both pacers now looking to head forward to Jewels day on the first Saturday in June.

Credit: Harnesslink Media, May 2018

HORSES

The pride in Joshua Dickie’s voice told the entire story - a story that could have panned out in a thousand different ways.

The young horseman knows better than anyone just how much of an effort it’s been to get back to the track with his old favourite Speeding Spur, let alone to be winning a Group 1 like he did on Friday night when claiming the Fred Shaw Memorial New Zealand Trotting Championship at Addington.

It’s been a patient and herculean effort by Dickie and his father, John who have, along with the experts, nursed their star performer back from near retirement on two occasions, each time not knowing if it would be the last time.

“I don’t think I can do him justice,” Dickie said.

“He’s broken down twice, in theory he shouldn’t be racing but here he is not only competing in, but also winning, Group Ones.

“He really is an incredible horse.”

Dickie said there were times when they wondered if it was all too much, but they let the horse tell them each time whether or not he wanted to be back on the track and such is the will to win that he’s made his way back each time.

And for his loyal band of owners, the Woodlands Partnership Syndicate, Kieran Read, Andy Ellis, Dick Tayler and Dave Hewett, Friday night’s win was just reward for patience and royalty.

And perhaps, just perhaps - there’s more to come.

“You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself, but he’s back racing and good at the moment, so hopefully he can continue it.

“I think a lot of people just expected him to come back and be the same horse he was before things started going wrong.

“But he’s never going to be that same horse, but he showed tonight that he’s still a very good horse.

“His will to win is incredible, he just kept fighting all the way to the line.”

Auckland beckons next for the Speeding Spur camp and Dickie is looking forward to hopefully being able to drive him a little different in races like the Anzac Cup and then the Rowe Cup.

“I’d love to drive him with a sit - he’s still got the speed - but the way things have panned out it just hasn’t been possible.”

With $53,000 added to his lifetime stakes from 20 wins, Speeding Spur now sits just below $800,000 in stake earnings with $250,000 worth of kitty to chase at Auckland.

The victory on Friday wasn’t without drama.
Enghien galloped out of the gate, but then looped the field and looked set to stroll to the lead inside the final 150 metres before going rough in his gait.

It most likely cost him victory in what would have been an incredible performance, but there was no taking anything away from Speeding Spur.

“I don’t know if he was going to beat me, or I was going to beat him,” Dickie said.

“I just know my guy would have kept fighting.”

Destiny Jones emerged out of the pack to run a huge third continuing her great rise for Blenheim’s Dean Hunter.

Credit: NZ Harness News, April 2018

HORSES

The Dominion is all about the Ford factory.

However, it’s horsepower of a different variety – equine!

For the second straight year, West Melton trainer Ken Ford has walked away with the biggest trotting cheque in the southern hemisphere after his brilliant performer Marcoola delivered a stunning performance to win the Gr.1 $300,000 Used To Me @ Haras de Trotteurs Dominion at Addington today (Friday).

Twelve months ago, the Ford family was left shell-shocked after Amaretto Sun and young Sheree Tomlinson (Ford's grand-daughter) pulled off a longshot shocker to win the south island feature and again today, they were left a little gob smacked by the sheer arrogance and blinding acceleration of their star trotter as he raced away with the 3200m standing start feature.

Handled by Ford's son Clint, it was utter domination from Marcoola.



Unlike last year, the performance today didn’t completely shock anyone because most are acutely aware of the rich talent the Sundon six-year-old entire possesses.

In lead-up to the event, his form has been true and consistent but the barrier allowed punters to gain a juicy price about the speedy performer.

Race favourite Speeding Spur was backing-up following his Gr.1 FFA victory on Tuesday and was attempting to claim the Rowe Cup/Dominion double in the same year while join the other 17 trotters to claim the Cup week double.

With Alderbeck, Temporale and Hey Yo all beginning quickly and vying for the early supremacy, Speeding Spur stepped safely and landed in a handy spot just behind the leaders.

Classy mare Harriet Of Mot galloped away badly and lost considerable ground.

Within the first lap, changes swept over the field with the highly fancied Great Things Happen finding the lead while Lemond was left parked without cover and Speeding Spur sitting right on his back.

The tempo was dawdling with Great Things Happen and driver Gavin Smith walking the big field through the opening lap.

The lead time was covered in 2:08.1.

Speeding Spur made a move around the 1200m point and parked outside Great Things Happen while Ronald J soon followed and raced outside the leader.

The first half was covered in 29.2 and 31.7 seconds.

Entering the back straight, Great Things Happen led Ronald J while Speeding Spur sat poised ready to strike.

Passing the 1000m point, driver Clint Ford made his move with Marcoola and allowed him to stride forward three wide and his run was unimpeded.

And he came with a rush as he built massive momentum.

The third quarter was covered in 29.7 seconds.

With his blinding acceleration, Marcoola surged to the lead and soon opened up the field and raced away to lead by a clear margin entering the home straight.

Ford kept his charge focused as Australian trotter Kyvalley Blur started to charge down the outside but the margin was too great.

Marcoola scored convincingly and registered a margin of 4 lengths from Kyvalley Blur with a further 2.75 lengths back to Lemond in third while Speeding Spur finished fourth.

The winning time was 4:08 – a mile rate of 2:04.6 with a final split of 28.7 seconds.

Yet again, it was time for celebration for the Ford family.

“He felt really good and there was some cat and mouse tactics from Anthony (Butt – Kyvalley Blur) and Tony (Herlihy – Temporale) and I just went for it. He trotted great and showed great speed but I kept thinking they were coming and I kept checking but he did it well.” Driver Clint Ford said.

Marcoola is raced in partnership by Clint and his father Ken.

The last time a trainer prepared back to back winners in the Dominion was Tim Butt back in 2003/04 after Take A Moment and Lyell Creek proved triumphant.

Interestingly, Marcoola is closely related to Lyell Creek and takes his record to 14 wins from 31 starts while his earnings now exceed $410,000.

The next leg of the 2018/19 Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters is the $150,000 Inter Dominion in Melbourne on December 15.

Credit: Chris Barsby, Harnessink Media, 17 November 2018

HORSES

Harness racing driver Natalie Rasmussen capped off an amazing week by reining Cruz Bromac to an easy front running victory in yesterdays $184,000 Woodlands New Zealand Pacing Free For All at Addington Raceway.

After an unlucky run in Tuesday's New Zealand Trotting Cup, Cruz Bromac relished the shorter 1980m distance of yesterday's race and the son of Falcon Seelster blasted to the lead shortly after the mobile barrier arms folded.

From there the race turned into a procession. With main rival and TAB favourite Tiger Tara caught three wide early and then parked, Cruz Bromac never really eased the pace and won easing down in a super quick 2-18.5 for the 1980m mobile. That equated to a mile rate of 1-52.5 with the last 800m cut out in 55.6 and the closing 400m run in 27.0 seconds.

Stable mate of the winner Turn It Up ran on from three deep on the fence to grab second off the trailing Jack's Legend who battled on well for third. Tiger Tara wilted to last after finding his early efforts out wide too big a hurdle to overcome.

Natalie Rasmussen really burned early on Cruz Bromac and thought he might be found wanting at the finish,

"I really maxed him out to get across and sometimes they are found wanting when you do that, but he really tried hard down the straight.He was getting tired but he really gave it his all.

"Since he joined us he has really impressed us, each run he has been really solid and good.

"Mark and I will sit down next week and work out where we go, but I would say more than likely Inter Dominions first and then go from there," she said.

The win by Cruz Bromac gave Natalie her third Group one success for the week after also winning the NZ Cup with Thefixer and the Sires Stakes Final with Ultimate Sniper on Tuesday.

Credit: Harnesslink Media, 17 Nov 2018

HORSES

The New Zealand Trotting Cup doesn’t cut in half.

And Thefixer and Tiger Tara won’t receive the same prize money for the bravery at Addington yesterday.

But while only the former will have his name etched on the most famous trophy in New Zealand racing, the latter shared the glory in a $800,000 thriller.

Thefixer at just his 16th start held off the Australian iron horse in a pulsating finish, one that confirmed no matter how many stars are missing the New Zealand Trotting Cup is that rare equine contest that always produces a fairytale.

But this fairytale has two heroes.

Thefixer overcame soreness just six weeks ago which threatened to derail his Cup campaign and then recorded the second fastest time in the history of the great race, only his former stablemate Lazarus having gone faster two years ago.

Lazarus was all muscle and flash, the bully who taunted his Cup rivals with an arrogant 10-length win.

But this time trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen had to earn their Cup, cajoling Thefixer back to his best because only his best would do.

After a dreaded false start he got the second attempt right then led and trailed Dream About Me. From there it was his race to lose but lose it he almost did.

Because while Thefixer was enjoying the perfect run for driver Rasmussen, Tiger Tara came three wide to sit parked and break the seemingly unbreakable Dream About Me in front.

At the 200m mark he looked set to produce one of the gutsiest Cup wins in history only for Thefixer to rally, an equine Rocky Balboa defying the bigger, strong Apollo Creed.

Every centremetre Rasmussen saved on the marker pegs made the difference but the runner up was so magnificent it almost felt like their were two Cup winners.

The magnificence of Tiger Tara in defeat doesn’t detract from what the winner achieved though.

This was, after all, just his 16th start and Thefixer hadn’t come through the glamour of age group races and has earned his stripes in the big time the old fashioned way.

Being so untapped and new his options are numerous, with Purdon and Rasmussen to sit down today and decide whether he heads to the Inter Dominion in Victoria starting December 1, a decision which will impact on whether he starts in the NZ Free-For-All this Friday.

“He is a very brave horse because he was out on his feet at the top of the straight but he just kept coming,” said Rasmussen, who joins Kerryn Manning as only the second female driver to win the Cup.

One horse certain to be in both the Free-For-All and at the Inter Dominion is Tiger Tara, who greatness isn’t in his raw ability but in the organ beating under his rib cage.

He quite simply covered lengths more than the other placegetters and produced a run that would have won more than 100 of the NZ Cups run since the first in 1904.

“He was great. There really isn’t a lot more he could have done,” said driver Todd McCarthy.

“I thought I had them once I got past Dream About Me but the other little horse just wouldn’t go away.” On a day where the Purdon-Rasmussen team won a scarcely believable eight out of the nine races they contested they may have unearthed their next champion in Ultimate Sniper in the $170,000 Sires’ Stakes.

He came from the second line to sit parked and record a searing time to remain unbeaten after four starts, suggesting if he can hold together he could even be the best horse in the all-conquering stable in 12 or 18 months.

On any normal day his supersonic effort would have earned him skiting rights for the meeting.

But not yesterday. Yesterday he has to share that with Cup winner. And the Cup runner-up.


Credit: Harnesslink Media, 14 Nov 2018, Michael Guerin

HORSES

All Stars racing stables grabbed another harness racing Group One tonight when Jesse Duke got over the top of his stablemate and favourite Another Masterpiece to land the spoils in the $170,000 Garrards 2yo Sires Stakes Final.



Driven beautifully by co-trainer Mark Purdon, Jesse Duke had to work a bit early to get to the parked position but then had cover from the 700m to the turn as John Dunn attacked the leader Another Masterpiece with his drive Heisenberg.

In the straight Jesse Duke had too much speed for his rivals and got up to beat Another Masterpiece by a head with yet another All Stars runner A Bettor Act running home well for third.

Mark Purdon was delighted with the win and said after the race, "He is a good 2yo this one and he got the run to suit.

"I had to work a bit more than I wanted early but he has improved and it worked out well. I was probably lucky that John took the sting out of our other one and we managed to capatilise," he said.

Jesse Duke paced the 1950m mobile in 2-20.0 and won by a head. The smart colt paced his last 800m in 54.6 with a final 400m in 27.6 seconds.

Credit: Harnesslink Media, 18 May 2018

HORSES


Harness racing has a new superstar and his name is Ultimate Sniper.

On a perfect Canterbury day the showy looking Bettor's Delight colt won a grinding finish in the the 3yo $170,000 Sires Stakes Final at Addington Raceway.

Trained by the all conquering All Stars Stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, Ultimate Sniper had to sit parked on a hot pace but found extra reserves in the home straight to wear down his stablemate Jesse Duke who trailed and battled well to be only three-quarters of a length away at the line.

Heisenberg ran third after setting a hot pace in front and Mighty Flying Art ran home well for fourth.

Ultimate Sniper ran the 1980m mobile in a lightning time of 2-19.0 for the 1980m mobile, a mile rate of 1-52.9 with the last 800m cut out in a super quick 54.6 and 400m in 28 seconds.

Driver Natalie Rasmussen gave a lot of credit to the horses toughness in the run.

“This guy is very similar to his big brother Ultimate Machete,” she said.

“He just does not know when to give up and just fights right to the line.

“Jesse Duke had the run to beat him today but my fella has a hell of a motor and was just too tough.

Credit: Harnesslink Media, 13 Nov 2018