NZ HARNESS NEWS
King Of Swing led the Kiwi assault on the rich Australasian Breeders Crown finals at Melton in Victoria on Sunday, giving experienced Pukekohe harness racing trainer Ray Green his first crown win.
King Of Swing ($2.50) led throughout from the one draw for Cambridge-based driver David Butcher, who sealed his seventh career crown win, in the $NZ308,000 two-year-old males final.
Young Canterbury horseman Jack Harrington earlier picked up his first crown in the $98,000 two-year-old fillies trotting final with Our Renezmae ($2.40).
King Of Swing has only had eight starts for six wins, but Green had him primed for Melton and the Rocknroll Hanover colt was perfectly rated, holding out Australian star Poster Boy by a length, in 2:40.3 for the 2240m mobile trip, a mile rate of 1:55.2, the last 400m in 27.3sec.
Butcher says there is plenty of improvement left.
“He’s only just learning, a big effort. Ray Green’s team have come over a couple of times and just haven’t got it right and I’m lucky enough to be the one that’s got it for them.
“I always love coming over here and winning, you can’t beat it.’’
Earlier, Harrington saw Our Renezmae
lead easily for Dexter Dunn from the ace draw and he expertly controlled the pace, cruising 10 lengths clear turning in and maintaining that edge in 2:50.
By The Pres from seven-win mare City Lane, she now has two wins from eight starts and is set for a big three-year-old season.
“It’s been pretty hard going [training], but having a horse like her makes it all worthwhile,’’ said Harrington.
“I’ve had good people teach me what it is all about. Great mentors along the way and I couldn’t be more grateful.’’
War Spirit, formerly trained by Canterbury’s Kevin Townley before being sold to Australia two months ago, won the three-year-old male trotting final for driver Kate Gath.
The Mark Purdon-Natalie Rasmussen-trained hotpot The More The Better ($1.90) was a shock failure in the $207,000 three year-old-male final after galloping when leading for driver Luke McCarthy after 1000m.
He drifted through the pack and Our Little General (Chris Alford) was able to lead, then trail outsider Jilliby Kung Fu.
Our Little General powered home to win by a neck in a slick 1:54 mile rate.
Trained by Emma Stewart in Victoria, Our Little General is a Mach Three colt and has won 13 from 27 starts.
He made it a rich double for Alford and Stewart after Nostra Villa had earlier held out Canterbury-trained filly Our Angel Of Harlem in the $308,000 two-year-old fillies final.
After drawing the outside of the second line, Nostra Villa ($4.70) improved to sit parked outside the Dunn-driven favourite, Canterbury-trained Our Bettor Joy.
Alford and Dunn went head-to-head, with Anthony Butt sitting pat in the trail with Our Angel Of Harlem, as the Australian filly drew clear turning for home.
Nostra Villa hung on grimly to stave off the gallant Barry Ward-trained Our Angel Of Harlem by a head.
Alford also won the $98,000 two-year-old male trotters final on hot favourite Wobelee for his trainer wife Alison.
The Victorian-trained Petacular ($1.50) showed her class in the $98,000 three-year-old fillies final as she tamed Kiwi star Partyon, who sat parked outside leader Petacular’s wheel.
The winner took off just before he final turn and surged clear in 27.9s for her last 400m, with a mile rate of 1:56.2, Partyon being cut back to third by outsider Miss Graceland.
Somebeachsomewhere filly Petacular has now won 19 from 26 starts for trainer-driver Michael Stanley.
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