NZ HARNESS NEWS
Classy mare Harriet Of Mot set an all-comers national record for the frequently-raced 2600m mobile trip at Addington on Saturday night.
Her time of 3.12 (1.58.8 mile-rate) bettered Eyre I Come’s national record of 3.12.6, set in the Trotting Championship at Easter, while the female record was Habibti’s 3.13.5.
However, Habibiti was a filly when she set that mark in the Trotting Derby and Harriet Of Mot actually smashed the previous record for mares, set by the Phil Williamson-trained and driven Jasmyn’s Gift in the Trotting Championship 12 years ago, by more than three seconds.
Driver John Dunn took the mare back from a wide draw. but a fast early pace set the race up for the swoopers and Dunn launched Harriet of Mot four-wide in the back straight.
Sundon’s Flyer and junior driver Sarah O’Reilly and Arran Chief and Andrew Faulks set up the record with a lead time of 1.12 but they were gone in the back straight and tailed the field home.
Trainers Craig and Aimee Edmonds have not been tempted to shoot up for the National Trot in Auckland later this month, however.
Harriet Of Mot made that trip as a five-year-old last season but it was a disaster and her form had been indifferent since.
However, she showed she was back to her best in the Dominion with a stunning performance to finish seventh after an early gallop which cost her a dozen lengths.
The finish of the Dominion was still going to be close with Amaretto Sun before Harriet Of Mot also went for a gallop late in the piece.
“She’d had a few niggles and issues in the spring and being a typical female, it didn’t take much for her to throw her toys out of the cot,” said Aimee.
“Dad (Craig) had joked that she would come right now that the Dominion had been run and he was right.
“You can tell she’s a much happier horse now.
“We’ve added a shadow roll to help her confidence but the improvement has really been about getting over her seasonal and tie-up problems.
“We won’t tempt fate by going to Auckland again and undoing all the good work after what happened last time up there.
“There’s free-for-alls at Omakau and Addington in the New Year and we’ll reassess things from there,” she added.
Harriet Of Mot completed another double for the Edmonds after her half-brother Muscles Galore had also won impressively earlier in the night in the hands of Dunn.
The Edmonds have won seven races since the start of November and six of them have come in doubles after Muscles Galore had earlier combined with close relation Jaw D Nancy at Washdyke and at Addington on Show Day.
Harriet Of Mot would have won her three races since the Dominion but for being gunned down late by Everybody Knows in the Methven Green Mile – also in record time.
Her dam Harriet Of Hughes, a very speedy Sundon mare, has produced a Muscle Hill colt for breeder Ivan McNicholl this season and he is going halves with Aimee in breeding her to Love You this season.
“The Muscle Hill colt is great for Ivan to take to the yearling sales and a Love You filly next season would be ideal for us,” she said.
- NZ Harness News
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