CLICK HERE TO GO BACK

RACING HISTORY

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

In hindsight, there could not have been a more fitting result to last week's Garrard's Sires' Stakes Final. It was nearly the $150,000 event that Fergiemack threw away after his inexperience saw him lug in a couple of times up the straight; it was almost a Group 1 victory that Nicol Thorn was only millimetres away from winning, becoming the first female reinswoman in New Zealand's history to do so.

But in the end and where it counted, Ferjiemack and Gotta Go Cullen were locked together as they hit the line - inseparable, even in today's world where technology can sort out the closest of race finishes. Both horses deserved their victories because they worked hard for them...Gotta Go Cullen burned plenty of early petrol into the first bend to wrest the lead that Thorn so dearly wanted, and Fergiemack had been parked from the outset before receiving cover from the only mover in the race (Christian Warrior) 800 metres from home.

At that stage, having gotten away with a couple of easy quarters and seeing where Herlihy was, Thorn let Gotta Go Cullen "go a little bit" and they sped down the back straight in 28.6. The final quarter was half a second faster still; Fergiemack peeled out of his one-one position on the last bend as Changeover surged through on the inside as the line drew nearer, only to fall a half-neck short.

It took what seemed an age before the dead-heat was declared, and even back at the stables you could tell that Thorn was still trying to get her head around what had just unfolded. "It has just started to sink in now," she said, knowing she had created her own little piece of history. "It feels like we lost, but we won. To even draw with Tony in a Group 1 is amazing though, because he is one of the best drivers in New Zealand."

Prior to the Sires' Stakes Final, Gotta Go Cullen had been the star 2-year-old all season, winning five of his seven starts and being placed in the other two. He had even proved to good for Fergiemack in his first three raceday appearances, but many believed that the gap between them had closed - especially since Fergiemack had won his next two starts, and the fact that Gotta Go Cullen had not raced for seven weeks.

Thorn's mind was at rest after the latter's slashing midweek trial at Rangiora. "It wasn't so much the way he went in the trial, but how he recovered," she said. "He showed he was ready for tonight, and that he wasn't stressed by anything. And it was so good to feel him try after he was headed, because he hasn't had to do that much. I was looking for Tony because I know his horse has always got that devastating finish, and my boy had not learnt to race them up until now. He is just going to keep getting better.

For Fergiemack's trainer/driver, he was quite happy to walk away with a shared victory in the Sire' Stakes Final rather than being on the losing end of a nose decision. "He just cocked his head a little bit and got sideways down the straight," Herlihy said, re-living how close Fergismack came to costing himself the race. He made us worry a little bit the first time I started him, and he has lugged out a couple of times since then too. Hopefully the trip down here will help him mature up a bit."

Also by super sire Christian Cullen, Fergiemack never burst onto the 2-year-old scene in the same fashion that Gotta Go Cullen did this season, but he is certainly making up the lost ground now. He has kept improving throughout," Herlihy said. "He has always been good-gaited, and he is still growing and strengthening."

Herlihy says he would definitely rate Fergiemack "in the top five" when it comes to the juveniles he has driven. "I have had some nice ones," he said. "Chokin was the best, and Montana Vance was another good youngster. Bella's Boy was a nice 2-year-old too, and had he not run into a freak like Light And Sound he probably would have won a lot more. "This fellow is pretty exciting though, because he has got a lot of potential."

Fergiemack and Gotta Go Cullen will resume their rivalry when they both step out in the NZ 2-year-old Championship at Alexandra Park on June 16.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 24May06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Joan & Peter Cocks with David Earnshaw

It's doubtful whether David Earnshaw, a long-time employee with Tim Butt and Phil Anderson, has ever taken his driving gear to Addington on Cup Day. He will this year, and not for any old race - for the NZ Cup itself.

Butt says Earnshaw was "in the picture" for the drive on Tribute, and said he couldn't see any reason why he'd lose it. "He's won the New Brighton Cup, the Kindergarten Stakes and a heat of the Sires' Stakes Series with the horse, so he really knows how to drive him. He's a good, little horseman, and he did the job for us last week," he said. Earnshaw, in fact, has driven Tribute six times for three wins, two fourths and a miss from his 35 starts.

Tribute set a solid pace in front of his stablemate The Flyin Doctor for much of last Friday's Cup, and he was as strong at the end as he was a lap out. The Flyin Doctor closed well and was a close second, while Roman Gladiator was a sound third, and looks on the verge of hitting immediate winning form.



Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 20Sep06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

On paper, last week's Southern Trust Dominion Trotting Handicap hinted at being a battle of two stables. 'Team Williamson' had three runners in the Group 1 event - Jasmyn's Gift, Allegro Agitato and One Over Kenny - and Kevin Fairbairn lined up the grossly under-rated Whatsundermykilt and his ever consistent half-brother Glenbogle; between them the five trotters had won almost every major lead-up race prior to last Friday night's $150,000 thriller. And that form stacked up...in the end, Whatsundermykilt pounced from the trail and packed too much punch for One Over Kenny and the pacemaking Jasmyn's Gift after a drive by Shane Walkinshaw that Fairbairn described as "inch perfect".

"After we got such a good draw, the plan was to begin and hopefully lead then hand up to somethihg good," Walkinshaw said afterwards. Whatsundermykilt really is an amazing horse, and you've got to hand it to Kevin because both of them have got such great manners. I couldn't believe they were writing us off after his Show Day run (seventh); he just didn't handle the wet, and I was rapt in the way he ran home that day."

Ever since he first began his career, Whatsundermykilt looked as if he would go all the way to the top. Fairbairn has nursed the son of Sundon and nurtured that potential, and last week it was realised with a victory which was the biggest by far for everyone concerned - horse, owners, trainer and driver.

"Last year was going to be his year, but he nearly cut his leg off when he got it caught in a grill here one day at the trials," an emotional Fairbairn said. "I always knew he was something special this horse, because in the early days he used to give them a furlong start and still run in the money. Having Shane on him has made a huge difference, too. But no, this is very special... you know, you foal the old mare, then you have the horse on the property every day bar the ones when he's been out for a spell or in Aussie. That takes a lot of beating."

Talking of Australia, that's where Whatsundermykilt and Glenbogle are headed next and we'll fly out on December 3. Venturing across the Tasman with his two trotters is not new for Fairbairn because he has done it for a few years now, and he is adamant about the reasons why. "What, should we leave them at home and waste them?" he said. "There is a lot for them over there between now and February - the Bill Collins Mile, Grand Prix, Dullard Cup and Australian Trotters Championship, not to mention the Inter-Dominions in between. I chose not to start 'Scotty' (Whatsundermykilt) in the race that 'Glen' (Glebogle) won on Cup Day because he's not as heavy as the other horse. Besides, I actually thought that the stake - for the main trotting event on Cup Day - was pitiful; they couldn't both win it."

Whatsundermykilt and Glenbogle, sons of three-win Kiltie Boy mare Happy Highlander, have now won 11 races each and over $515,000 between them. The mare's due to foal to Sundon any day soon, her connections hoping for a filly, and she will be going back to the same stallion. Oddly enough, Happy Highlander's first foal was the Greg Patron pacer Jimmy Patron, who Fairbairn trained to run three placings from 19 starts. Six seasons passed before Happy Highlander foaled again - that being last Friday's Dominion winner, who's noe eight. Glenbogle's a 7-year-old by Armbro invasion, and following since have been Highland Rascal (6yo gelding by Simon Roydon, six unplaced starts to date), Glenloch (4yo gelding by Armbro Invasion, unraced to date), Lexie Highlander (3yo filly by Armbro Invasion) and Tossthecaber (2yo gelding by Armbro Invasion). "Glenloch's away with the fairies at this stage, but can trot nice; LexieHighlander has been turned out and is not bad, and Kerry O'Reilly liked Tossthecaber when he broke him in for us," Fairbairn said.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 29Nov06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Pay Me Christian holds out Monkey King, Awesome Armbro (11) & Classic Line (5)

For reasons both personal and professional, Paul Kerr breathed a sigh of relief when Pay Me Christian was finally declared the winner of last Friday night's $100,000 Christian Cullen NZ Derby at Addington. For wherever you watched the race it was a nail-biting finish...Pay Me Christian trying gamely to hold onto the lead that he'd had from the outset, Monkey King charging at him late with tremendous speed.

From Kerr's seat in the Public Stand, he thought Pay Me Christian had got it; but it wasn't until a fellow supporter dashed down to watch the instant replay of the finish and gave the 'thumbs up' that Kerr could actually let go of the breath that he was holding. "Along with the Oaks and the New Zealand Cup, this is one of the three races that I've always wanted to win," Kerr said afterwards. "The Derby's such a prestigious event, because it's been around for nearly a hundred years. And to me it's always the first real glimpse of what's to come when they're four or five-year-olds. Quite often the first three home in the Derby will go on to become good open class horses, even great ones."

Being his final outing for the season, and last ditch attempt at winning a Derby at three, Friday was 'D-Day' for Pay Me Christian in a lot of ways too - especially from his pending stud career's perspective. Automatically 'valued' at a million dollars when a half share in the colt was sold to Nevele R Stud for $500,000 back in December, that sort of money demands results. Kerr knew that better than anyone else, and after Pay Me Christian had run last seven days earlier things were even more intense.

"You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel some sort of pressure in that situation," he admitted. "So I'm glad he won this, because the horse deserved it. With an ounce of luck he could've won either of the Great Northern or Victorian Derbys, or quite easily finished with all three - and then people would've been talking about him in a totally different way. He's been the best 3-year-old this season, no doubt, and in winning the Sires'Stakes Final and NZ Derby he got the two big ones."

Pay Me Christian was heading out for a spell regardless of where he finished on Friday night, and Kerr says he deserves that too. "Yes, he was starting to show signs that he was coming to the end of it," he agreed. His zip wasn't quite there, and he was a little bit leg-weary after all the miles he's done. When we came back from Aussie he was a wee bit tired, and we knew we had to tread lightly for a while - that's why he was probably a tad on the fresh side for his race last week. He's only had nine starts as a three-year-old, but it's been a long season for him. People forget that he was up as early as July, and that he's had to peak three or four times during the year. And more and more lately he's started to realise that he's a colt. He thinks he's the king of the castle round home, running around the paddock and calling out; he covers a lot more ground during the week than most horses."

Pay Me Christian will be out for three months, with Kerr wanting him to resume around mid-October so that he has a couple of runs under his belt before "possibly" tackling the Junior Free-For-All on Cup Day. "The Miracle Mile is his main target before Christmas, so we'll be chasing a start in it, and after that there's the Chariots, perhaps another trip to Australia, and then back to New Zealand for our two big 4-year-old features in Auckland. Next time in we're going to experiment a bit and give him a lot more beach training. We're that close to one, so we're going to make use of it and keep him away from the track as much as possible in between races. There's nothing wrong with his legs whatsoever, it's just something we're going to try to give him a bit of variety and keep him mentally fresh."

At the end of Pay Me Christian's 4-year-old season is when Nevele R Stud and the syndicate that races him will sit down and discuss things. Regardless of when the career change eventuates, Kerr has no doubt about what sort of sire he'll be - not only because of the fact that he's by Christian Cullen, or won eight of his 13 starts thus far, but also because he's got a "terrific" dam's family.

"You just wait until he steps out again next season - he'll let down into a magnificent stallion. At the moment he's still a bit of a boy in that respect, we're only halfway there."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 5Apr06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Galleon's Assassin parades after the win

Galleon's Assassin, last season's Trotting Stakes and Breeders' Crown winner, took the first step along a rich trail of pickings on offer this year in his stride with an authoritative display to win the $50,000 Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Derby at Addington last Friday night.

The Earl gelding will back up this week for the $50,000 PGG Yearling Sales event, where his task will be appreciably easier with neither Brite Speed or Houdini Star eligible, and then head to Auckland for the $50,000 Sires' Stakes Championship on April 28, along with a couple of other races,before returning home for a freshen-up. He will then be set for the Breeders' Crown in August, following the same schedule and path which brought success in the $114,180 2-year-old Trot last year.

Ironically, Galleon's Assassin won the Breeders' Crown on the eve of trainer Mark Purdon spending a period on the sidelines, and he marked his first Group 1 race success since returning to the fray in January. He was also the middle leg of a winning treble for Purdon on the Premier Night, while top 2-year-old filly Top Tempo is unbeaten in three features including the Group 2 Nevele R Stakes, but the form of Jays Debut in recent weeks remains a mystery for him.

Raced by Purdon's wife Vicki and Aucklander Fred Tong, a long-time family friend, Galleon's Assassin was sorted out by Purdon from the 2004 Remier Sale and purchased for $33,000. "I hadn't had a trotter for a while and neither had Freddy, so we agreed to go halves in one and he was the one I liked the most." said Purdon. "He had a good head and eye, and a good barrel," he added. Tong, 50, raced a good trotter in the 70s in Butch Cassidy, but since has "just had the odd one or two-win horse".

Galleon's Assassin is the fifth foal and fifth winner from the Chiola Hanover mare Rob The Nest (6 wins), a grand-daughter of Robyn Evander, whose first two foals were the brilliant but ill-fated Sonofthedon and Group 1 winner Thedonsson, and since the mares Charlotte Galleon and Whosinthenest. Rob The Nest has since Galleon's Assassin, left fillies by S J's Photo and Sundon and a colt by Armbro Invasion, and is back in foal to Earl.

Galleon's Assassin's experience and class stood to him in his latest feature race success. Four Carat took up the early running, but Galleon's Assassin soon crossed him from barrier eight, as main danger Houdini Star missed the call-up and spotted the field 30 to 40 metres before they had begun. Houdini Star circled the field to join the pacemaker a lap out and give Brite Speed the one-one, but Galleon's Assassin had them both covered a good way from home. "I didn't know Houdini Star had made a mistake, but I did know I had him covered at the quarter and I was just waiting for Brite Speed to come." Brite Speed was struggling to keep up well before the quarter however, and came in a disappointing eighth. Fout Carat followed the winner around for second ahead of the Paul Nairn-trained fillies Paramount Gem and Insist, who likewise never left the fence from three and four-back until the run home.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 5Apr06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Ricky May & Phil Williamson

'Mr Trotting' Phil Williamson recorded the unique feat of training three consecutive winners of the Group 1 $50,000 NZ Trotting Championship when Allegro Agitato romped away with the event for the second time at Addington last Friday night.

Two years ago, Williamson drove Allegro Agitato to overcome barrier nine in leading over the last 2400 metres to score in a then race and national record of 3:16.1, spoiling the party when Lyell Creek resumed his career in New Zealand. In between, only stablemate Jasmyn's Gift has spoiled Allegro Agitato's party by downing her in a superlative display last season, recording a new race and national record of 3:15.1 which still stands. Allegro Agitato recorded 3:18.1 last Friday night, but it was no less a searching contest in the cool and breezy conditions. "They really smoked along early, and while she seemed a long way from them the race really played into our hands," said Ricky May.

Allegro Agitato had only two behind her in a strung out field passing the mile, but May was soon on the move improving three-wide in the open and took up the running passing the half, proceeding to step out a quarter down the back in 29 which had everybody off the bit, before the 7-year-old Sundon mare "eased herself down" near the finish to score by two lengths over the game Some Direction, Ruthless Jenny and Toomuch To Do in a race dominated by mares.

Cracker Nova crossed fron the outside of the front line to lead early before Castleton's Mission, in very unfamiliar territory, worked wide and into the lead at the 1900m mark and took them through a rapid lead-time of 1:15. He was ready to wave the white flag when Allegro Agitato surged up on her relentless run however, and the second favourite beat only an errant Gold home.

"She can do that - ease herself down - but she was just cruising and would have picked it up again if something had come along," said May. May has been her regular pilot this season and has also won the Ashburton Flying Mile, Group 1 NZ Trotting FFA on Cup Day and $100,000 Grand Prix at Moonee Valley in December with her.

Allegro Agitato now joins such famous names as Nigel Craig, No Response and David Moss as the only two-time winners in the 49-year history of the Trotting Championship. For May it was his third Trotting Championship, having won with Warren Stapleton's Highwood and Cedar Fella, the best trotters he has driven until Allegro Agitato. "Cedar Fella was a great horse when he was sound, and Highwood could have been anything if Warren knew then what he knows now. "But they're three completely different horses - Allegro Agitato has more speed and is sound for a start."

It was Williamson's fourth training win in the event, having first signalled his arrival on the big-time trotting scene in 1996 with Role Model who downed Call Me Now, Chiola Cola and Diamond Field. Williamson, who races Allegro Agitato with Oamaru breeders Michael and Ronnie Lauren, said she will now head for "whatever mobile races there are for open class trotters," which is likely to mean a $15,000 preferential draw 2600m affair at Addington next Saturday night. If not, having accomplished her solitary mission this time in, Allegro Agitato will head to the spelling paddock before Williamson initially sets her for a crack at a third consecutive Ashburton Mile win and then suitable races at the NZ Cup Meeting, Auckland and Melbourne again.

"It is tempting to look at the Rowe Cup again, but with Delft on ten metres she is going to be jammed in there (off the front) and there's probably not much point - it's not really an option," said Williamson. "Her record from a mobile - in fact her record overall if you eliminate the races where she took no part - is quite outstanding though, and we'll just keep her to those now," he added.

While Allegro Agitato began her career with 19 races from a stand and won eight of them, more recently they have been a disaster for her and include blowing the start in the last two Dominion and Rowe Handicaps. Her only win from a stand since scoring from a 10m handicap at Addington in January, 2004, was at Gore from 40m a fortnight before the Trotting Championship in her only lead-up race. "She can be okay with nobody behind her, and that served as a suitable race to clean her up."

In 16 races from a mobile in New Zealand, Allegro Agitato has now won seven and been placed as many times, only failing to pay a dividend twice at Alexandra Park when fifth behind Delft over Christmas when noticeably below her best form, and in last year's Inter-Dominion when she galloped on her only occasion behind the gate. Overall, her record in 45 starts in 17 wins, eight seconds and eight thirds for stakes worth $356,382, with the promise of much more to come from such a lightly-raced mare.

Allegro Agitato is known about the stables as 'Cindy', a name given to her by the Laurens when she was a foal. "She grew up in a paddock with two other fillies, which looked like ugly sisters compared to her, so they called her Cinderella," said Williamson. "I've had cause to call her a few other names at times, but we all love her," he added.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 5Apr06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Sue Martin & Nicole Thorn

Sue Martin has never cared much for the limelight. She's not used to it, doesn't like it, and even cringes at the thought of stepping up to a microphone to splutter out a victory speech following any big-race win.

Martin's no stranger to such requirements though, because for years she shared a partnership with Neil Brady on both a professional and personal basis, and during that time the couple won a lot of races with the likes of Franco Ice and Sweet Talking Man. Back them Martin stayed backstage and out of the spotlight when it came to acknowledgement, quite content that she'd played her part behind the scenes. But these days she has got no choice, because things have changed. Brady's no longer in the picture, and Martin part-owns and trains a horse that is going to put her onto the victory dias time and time again. His name is Gotta Go Cullen.

"When Neil went to Australia in 2004, I thought he was just going on another one of his stints," Martin said, remembering when she and Brady parted ways. "But he didn't come back. He probably thought the place would fall apart without him - and that only made me more determined to do it, to succeed." Gotta Go Cullen is ample proof that Martin's certainly doing that. She bought the colt and his dam Sparkling Burgundy from a northern broodmare sale when he was still a foal at foot, and now the son of Christian Cullen has won five of his seven raceday appearances after taking out the $50,000 Group 2 Bromac Lodge NZ Welcome Stakes at Addington last Friday night.

Parked early before being taken to the front by Nicole Thorn, Gotta Go Cullen settled beautifully in the role until Thorn asked him to stretch out inside the last furlong. Fergiemack temporarily looked a threat when he burst from the pack 100 metres out, but Gotta Go Cullen revelled in having a new challenger and pulled clear again by half a length at the line. "It was good to feel him kick again," Thorn said afterwards. "He has been knocking off inside the last fifty metres of his races, because nothing has been sticking with him. He really flattens out when you ask him - like Christian Cullen did when he used to get let down. It's unbelievable being associated with Gotta Go Cullen, because he is just a super, super animal. And not that he isn't already, but he is going to be a very nice horse; I mean, look at him - he's like a three-year-old now," Thorn said.

Gotta Go Cullen had only raced at Cambridge and Alexandra Park prior to last Friday night, meaning little more than a twelve hour round trip from his home in Pakiri Beach, and last week's trek to Christchurch was also Martin's first venture south "on my own." Victory speech included, she was pleased once it was all over. "It's pretty scary coming all that way," she said, highlighting that the time between leaving home and arriving in Christchurch was over 37 hours. I was concerned, because it's a long way for a baby. But he just eats everything, and takes it in his stride. We stayed at Lavros Lodge, which was really good, and on arrival his tail was up and he was prancing around - the guys that shipped him said they had never seen a horse get off the truck looking so good. But I couldn't have done this without the help of Nicole and her fiance Dean (Molander), who have been great," Martin said.

The trip was a good dress rehearsal for when Gotta Go Cullen will return to Christchurch again in May fo the Sires' Stakes Final, and Martin says he will be off to Australia for the Breeders' Crown after that.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 5Apr06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Gretmaro out-finishes Affairs Of State (inside)

As youngsters, less than a year from their mums, they came through the ring in all shapes and sizes. A little, unpretentious daughter of Holmes Hanover from an unraced Nero's B B mare was one of them. She didn't raise any interest, and Lew Driver was the only serious audience she had. When she went through the ring, Driver had her in his sights, and for $4500 her took her home.

Later in the day, an In The Pocket filly from the grand racemare Under Cover Lover named Affairs Of State went under the hammer. She was a serious target and went for $90,000.

"I really liked her brother who came from the Sales," recalled Driver. "I got a offer, and when I couldn't pay the bills at the time, I let him go. When I saw this filly, I thought she had a nice, wee head. She was small type, a little on the fine side, but she looked as if she could run early," said Driver.

He bought her from Lincoln breeder Hamish Roberts for his nephew 'CJ', and as Gretamaro she is rivalled only by Western Dream as the best 3-year-old filly in New Zealand. She has never missed a big event, and had raced twice as many times as any other horse in the $130,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Fillies Pace at Addington last week. She won the race, not easily from Affairs Of State, but it would be fair to say she never reallly looked like not winning it. It was her ninth win and her stakes won went to $233,554.

Driver was right when he gave driver Robbie Holmes credit for his judicious handling of the filly. He did not go to town over the first 2-300 metres, an the wisdom of this move paid off because he was able to secure cover three-back on the outer. At the 1200m, he gently eased out, and was in front and ahead of Affairs Of State at the 900m. The danger then was how well the lightly-tried, splendidly-bred but not race-hardened Affairs Of State would respond to a dust-up with the finely-honed Gretamaro. For a start, and even till near the end, Affairs Of State gave Gretamaro what-ho. It was a grim struggle, but 30 metres out, Gretamaro had her nose in front, and 20 metres further on, had a fraction more, and there was a convincing half a head between them at the end.

Driver is a meticulous trainer. He likes his horses to have their own paddock, and old Gaelic Skipper, who won him nearly $400,000, is there to keep Gretamaro company. "I'm happy to take the grass to the horse, rather than the horse to the grass. I'm very fussy, and I treat them all like individuals. There's a hot wire between them, but she'll kick out if anything happens that she doesn't like. And I've got to work her. She finished on Wednesday running half in a minute. She's not a horse I can cheat on," he said.

Next for Gretamaro is the Southland Oaks, and later the New Zealand Oaks and the Nevele R Fillies Final. And that, as a racehorse, will be the end of it. "She'll come back as an eight or nine-win horse, and that will be to tough for her," he said.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 22Feb06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Mainland Banner winning the Breeders Stakes

Between now and her next race, there will be some fine-tuning to Mainland Banner's training regime. After another hard blow following her latest win, at Addington last Friday night, trainer Robert Dunn intends to step it up.

He knew she was short of a hard run before winning the Caduceus Club of Canterbury Premier Mares' event over 1950m the previous week, but he was sure it would top her off nicely for the $100,000 PGG Wrightson Breeders' Stakes.

Without making a meal of it, Mainland Banner duly won, beating Imagine That by a length and a quarter and Nick Off Holme by nearly two. After being settled on the outer by Ricky May, Mainland Baner went forward at the 1250m, sat parked soon after and came away for a comfortable win by a margin that may have flattered her rivals.

"Ricky said she did not feel as sharp as she did at Cup time," said Dunn. "But she only did what she had to, and I felt she was coming away again over the last twenty metres. "She blew hard again. We've had a roundtable since, and we feel we have to increase her work a bit."

Dunn expects her to take it in her stride because she is so relaxed in training. "This is her greatest weapon, and as she matures she is getting stronger. This is the first time she has backed up with a race two weeks in a row. The other time was last May when she was very tired after the Oaks."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWEEKLY 9Feb06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

All class....Mainland Banner

Mainland Banner's going to struggle to produce a more unbelievable performance than she did in last November's NZ Cup, but when she resumed at Addington last Friday night it left onlookers thinking "wow" for a whole lot of others reasons.

Last week's $35,000 Group 2 Premier Mares'Championship was Mainland Banner's first appearance since her dramatic Cup win, and she was up against some very classy and race-hardened girls.

So when she was used out of the gate to find the front, got taken on vehemently during the running by firstly Nursemaid and then Nick Off Holme, she was literally a sitting duck for those in behind her that had had a soft trip. But this is Mainland Banner we're talking about. One reminder with the whip, a dozen double-handed shakes of the reins, and Mainland Banner proved once again that she is the best there is.

"She was always going to need the run, so I suppose that the way the race panned out she was vulnerable," said trainer Robert Dunn afterwards. "Ricky (May) wasn't going to use her early, he was going to nurse her round the first bend and then move forward. But when That's Life Lavra put a rough stride in at the start, he had no choice. So it is nice to know that she has got gate speed as well. She was tested tonight, and she knew it too because she blew afterwards. She has been as bright as a button ever since though," he said.

Mainland Banner steps out again this week in the PGG Wrightson Standardbred Breeders' Stakes, and although she was beaten the only other time she raced twice within seven days, Dunn thinks it is a totally different story this year.

"When Molly Darling got her in the Nevele R Fillies' Final it was the end of her 3-year-old season - she had gone from qualifying to a superstar in the space of about four months," he said. "She had travelled south a couple of times, and the Oaks win a week prior had taken the edge off her. But right now she is on the way up, and she will improve with that run for sure."



Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 1Feb06