Machete cuts them to ribbons at Ashburton
The next step for impressive Ashburton winner Ultimate Machete will depend on flights.
The reigning three-year-old pacer of the year made light work of his intermediate grade resumption on Monday for co-trainer Natalie Rasmussen.
It’s likely he will be seen one more time in New Zealand, but whether he’s a part of Cup Week or not is up in the air.
“Obviously he would fit nicely into a race like the junior Free-For-All, but he may head straight to Perth instead on the Saturday – it just depends on the flight really.”
Rasmussen could not have been more impressed with the Sires’ Stakes winner’s effort though and declared him a more mature and better version of his three-year-old self.
“A few of those little things he had going on last season seem to have gone; he’s really matured I think and is now a very serious racehorse.”
Ultimate Machete rated 2:56.9 for the 2400 metre stand, winning by one and a quarter lengths from Alta Orlando.
The Dorchester smashes NZ Record
The Dorchester smashed the New Zealand all-comers record for a mile-and-a-half with a 2.52.5 effort at Ashburton today, lowering Nek Time’s record by half a second.
His driver, Matt Anderson, was as surprised as anyone when he found out the time.
“He didn’t really feel like he was going that quickly.
“But the track was in pretty good order today and the horse was ready.”
The Dorchester had to work hard to find the lead with a lap to go and was then worked over through the middle stages by Quite Ideal.
“Circumstances meant that we ended up going quicker than we probably wanted to due to various different reasons,” said Anderson.
Anderson, who now works for The Dorchester’s trainer Mitch Kerr, has a fair idea of what a good three-year-old feels like, having come from the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen barn.
“With Mark and Natalie’s horses, they just keep improving every time they step out.
“This guy will tell us in time whether he’s up to that Derby level, but if he keeps improving, I’d say he’d wind up in that category.”
Great Things Happen takes Flying Mile
Great Things Happen announced himself as the big dog in the trotting yard at present with an all-the-way win in the Gr.3 $30,000 Ashburton Trotters Flying Mile today.
In the hands of his trainer Gavin Smith, Great Things Happen surged off the mobile arm and crossed Marcoola heading out of the straight.
Smith kept him up to the mark at an even tempo and eventually stopped the clock at 1.55.4.
It was the second-fastest time in the 28-year history of the race, behind only Monbet’s 1.55.2 effort last year.
Habibti Ivy mounted a huge late finish for second in the hands of Blair Orange and the efforts of both of the first two horses caught the attention of bookies.
Great Things Happen subsequently shortened in to outright $3.60 favouritism for next month’s Gr. 1 $300,000 Dominion Handicap at Addington and Habibti Ivy shortened in to $5 third favouritism.
The well-supported Wilma’s Mate galloped at the dispatch and played no serious part while comeback trotter Stent got round safely in his first start for nearly 22 months, finishing fifth.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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