by Chris Barsby
Finishing like a flash, a red flash at that.
This is the story of the Paul Nairn trained Habibti Ivy being crowned the 2016/17 Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Master following her stunning return to racing.
The former Oaks winner has returned from the racing wilderness – nearly 22 months sidelined by injury – to win five of her six races this campaign including the Gr.1 Anzac Cup before finishing a narrow second in the Gr.1 Rowe Cup behind Temporale last Friday night at Alexandra Park, Auckland.
Her two efforts in Auckland were enough to snatch victory and complete a remarkable comeback.
Heading into the two final legs of the series, Australian trotter On Thunder Road held the smallest of margins but connections decided to bypass the Auckland features.
So, the title was up for grabs.
The title to be crowned the Trotting Master was going right down to the wire.
And the chestnut Love You five-year-old mare pounced owing to her Auckland heroics.
In her six starts to date this season, Habibti Ivy has amassed more than $113,000 while taking her overall earnings past $160,000.
The efforts of the Auckland based Temporale shouldn’t go unnoticed either, the Monarchy four-year-old proving the trotting ranks are full of outstanding depth and youth.
The five leg Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters starts in November at Christchurch with the Dominion before heading to Melbourne for the Great Southern Star and the Australian Grand Prix while the series concludes in Auckland with the ANZAC Cup and the Rowe Cup.
The full list of Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters winners for the season was Monbet (Dominion), Glenferrie Typhoon (Great Southern Star), On Thunder Road (Grand Prix) and Habibti Ivy (ANZAC Cup) and Temporale (Rowe Cup).
The top five point scorers were;
Habibti Ivy (160 points)
Temporale (120)
On Thunder Road (101)
Monbet (100)
Glenferrie Typhoon (100)
Congratulations to the winning breeders/owners of Habibti Ivy – Gaby & Julie Mazghal.
And a massive congratulations to both Paul Nairn and Blair Orange.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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