By Matt Markham
It would appear you can knock Natalie Rasmussen down. But she’ll just get right back up again.
The brilliant horsewoman produced a peach of a drive on Messini to secure yesterday’s Group III Terror To Love Methven Cup but if you’d seen what unfolded just hours earlier you had to wonder just how she was actually out there driving.
Rasmussen was heavily involved in an accident early in the day, which resulted in Samantha Ottley being flown by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Christchurch Hospital, after her drive Emmanuel crashed to the turf shortly after straightening to run for the judge.
“We came round the bend and the legs went out from underneath him,’’ Rasmussen said.
“I pretty much face planted and then got a bit of attention from those behind me.
“I actually nearly got tipped out at the start of the race, but once we managed to get past that I thought we were going to be alright.’’
Rasmussen walked unaided from the incident but was clearly in some discomfort upon returning to the birdcage.
The Australian’s fighting qualities shone through though as she soldiered on in only a matter that Rasmussen could so as she could drive Messini in the day’s feature.
And in a real display of both the highs and lows of harness racing, she got the job done with the talented pacer outstaying his rivals in the 3000 metre event to make a stunning return to New Zealand racing and, most importantly, enhance his chance of a berth in the New Zealand Trotting Cup on the second Tuesday of November.
“We got a really nice run into it but I thought it was a great effort for him to win that race fresh up.
“He hasn’t done a whole lot so I’m sure he will improve greatly with the run – he was starting to get tired that last little bit but he tries so hard I don’t know if he was ever going to get beat.’’
The win should almost certainly see Messini improve his place in the rankings to within the magical mark of 15 and another steady performance either next week at Ashburton or at Kaikoura the following week will see him safely in the field after a few concerns were raised about his seemingly low ranking when the lists were first produced.
Behind Messini it was Quick As A Trick who provided the shock factor, sneaking along the markers to run a bold second against some quality opposition while No Doctor Needed, Mighty Flying Mac and Te Kawau all did their Cup prospects favours with solid performances.
Ideal Success, Mach’s Galdiator and Lewy Risk didn’t help their Cup chances while Belkmyster may find himself in a precarious position following yesterday’s race.
Meanwhile Sunny Ruby put her hand up and asked to be remembered when she resumed in stunning fashion to win the Pegasus Spur Trotbred Fillies and Mares’ race by eight lengths.
In a further continuation of this incredible run by Sam Smolenski and Gavin Smith as a trainer and driver combination the now four-year-old Harness Jewels winner trotted straight to the front and never looked back in what was a seemingly effortless performance – running over her last 800 metres in 58.3 seconds.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
