By Michael Guerin
Bookies may not be able to split them but co-trainer Natalie Rasmussen says two factors may give Titan Banner an edge over champion stablemate Dream About Me in the Auckland Cup in a fortnight.
The pair dominated the open class features at Alexandra Park on Friday night, Dream About Me jogging home in the $100,000 Queen Of Hearts while Titan Banner overcame a hard run and a 20m handicap to win the Franklin Cup.
That sees them head the market for the Decemeber 31 Auckland Trotting Cup at $2.60 for Dream About Me, just shading Titan Banner at $2.70.
Dream About Me is a proven Group One mare whose every step seems to take her closer to the record of former champion stablemate Adore Me.
But Rasmussen, who trains the pair in partnership with Mark Purdon, says while Dream About Me may be flat out better than Titan Banner, come the Cup she will need to be.
“She is very, very good Dream About Me and maybe the better horse,” said Rasmussen.
“But Titan Banner has a lot more standing start experience which could help him get in front of the mare.
“And of course he has raced over 3200m before, in the New Zealand Cup.
“So that might even things up a bit.”
Dream About Me’s group one $100,000 event night was as good as over when she strolled to the front after 400m and she barely broke workout speed to win from Rocker Band.
But Titan Banner was made to work way harder when he looked to cross Christen Me with a lap to go in the Franklin Cup but he started to goof, leaving him sitting parked and making him worker far harder than has he wrested the lead.
To still forge past Christen Me and leave most of the other Cup contenders in his wake was a huge performance.
They were two members of the expected All Stars domination on Friday night as Spanish Armada and Ultimate Machete were too good in their elite three-year-old races.
Ultimate Machete led and was barely asked to raise a sweat to win the Alabar Classic but Spanish Armada had to out-tough arch rival Delightful Memphis in the Peter Breckon Memorial in what was a definitive performance.
The big trot of the night provided the greatest upset when Sunny Ruby was good enough to capitalise on a beautiful drive by new trainer David Butcher to win the $40,000 Lyell Creek.
She flew off the gate to lead then took a trail and Butcher found the perfect gap in the home straight to run down leader Marcoola.
The favourite initially looked disappointing but was found to have a flat tyre suffered soon after the start so maintains his place at the head of the markets for the National Trot, also on Decmeber 31.
Another to catch the eye was Bordeaux, who made up huge ground after an early gallop, suggesting the group one trot is shaping as a more even contest the earlier thought.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
