THE last time champion reinswoman Natalie Rasmussen drove on an Australian track she walked away with a Miracle Mile trophy and three Group 1 races.
It has been almost a year since that historical day where Rasmussen sat behind the fastest pacer outside of North America in Have Faith In Me where he stopped the clock in 1:47.5 to win the Miracle Mile.
But Rasmussen, a former Queenslander who now calls New Zealand home, is back on New South Wales soil racing at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday night.
The four-time ‘Inter Dominion Queen’ is flying all the way from Christchurch for two drives.
It is a fair distance to travel just for a couple of drives, especially considering the 39-year-old is trying to scale down on the driving aspect of her career.
However, with an invitation to the Chariots Of Fire on the line and her partner Mark Purdon taking care of some Group 1 races in Victoria on the same night, Rasmussen has taken the drive on Our Waikiki Beach in the Cordina Foods Paleface Adios Stakes (1609m).
And it hasn’t been made easy for Rasmussen with Our Waikiki Beach drawing barrier 11 for the Group 2 decider.
“It’s a tough race, they are all tough races, but over the mile drawn out wide makes it harder,” Rasmussen said.
Our Waikiki Beach faced just his third defeat in 26 starts at Menangle last Saturday when finishing eighth in the Hondo Grattan Stakes.
After showing blistering gate-speed from barrier one and being caught in an early speed battle when the first quarter was posted in 25.6s, Our Waikiki Beach was beaten by 12m by the winner Salty Robyn.
“He was only second up and didn’t need a run like that but that’s what happens unfortunately,” Rasmussen said.
“The team in Sydney seem to be happy with him after the run so we will just have to wait and see.”
Despite his recent defeat Our Waikiki Beach is the second favourite for this feature with TAB Fixed Odds at $4.80.
The Brad Hewitt-trained Arma The Gun is the equal $3.60 favourite with the Shane and Lauren Tritton-trained Anything For Love.
Rasmussen’s second drive on the night is expected to start at much shorter odds.
She is driving Lets Chase The Dream, known as Chase the Dream in NZ, in race eight.
Just two starts ago this pacer became the third horse to secure a position in the upcoming Chariots Of Fire when winning the Four and Five-Year-Old Stakes in Waikato.
“He looks very well placed in that race,” Rasmussen said.
“He has been racing open-class horses back home and should run a pretty good race.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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