| HORSES |
YEAR: 2022
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
YEAR: 2022
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
YEAR: 2022
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