 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2008
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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In just 23 starts, Mountbatten has climbed to the top of the trotting ranks in New Zealand. He has won eight races, and more than $200,000. He has won two Group 1s, the Dominion Handicap and the $100,000 Garry Thompson/ Fred Shaw NZ Trotting Championship at Addington last Friday.
Considering he won a one-win front from ten metres behind at the start of the season, Mountbatten's elevation has been remarkable. He followed the Dominion with three races over Christmas at Auckland and Cambridge, and his second to Idid It Myway on the first night of the Met's Easter meeting was his first race for two and a half months. Tim Butt, who trains him with Phil Anderson, was a little concerned when he was beaten by Awesome Imace and Houdini Star the next week, so there was no day off for him last week. "He's a very athletic horse. He's got a big Sundon motor and he's a lot better that what people think," Butt said.
Anthony Butt reached the front with him at the 2000 metres, and he gradually pulled well clear of the others to beat Galleons Assassin by three lengths, who had a long neck on Lotsa Speed, Mountbatten's stablemate and possibly a big mover in waiting in the open class ranks. Idid It Myway broke at the 1000 metres when trying to improve.
Credit: HRWeekly 9Apr08