By Matt Markham
Ricky May isn’t the excitable type, but Monbet sure does gets him excited.
And the master horseman has absolutely no doubts that the rising star of Australasian trotting will have no problems in measuring up against the best in Australia when he travels there later this season – but it won’t be in the races many people expects.
The faultless trotter was again dominant last night winning the Group One National Trot after burning to the lead with a lap and a half left to run before reeling off a 56.5 last 800 metres to win almost untouched by an impressed May.
“He’s scary to sit behind sometimes, he gets over the ground so effortlessly,’’ he said.
“It’s hard not to get excited about him to be honest.’’
“It’s like driving a pacer most of the time.
“They were getting away with murder in front so I decided to get going and he really hooked it into.
“And then when One Over Da Moon come up outside me inside the last lap he took the bit again and wanted to race.’’
While Australia definitely beckons for Greg and Nina Hope and Monbet, it’s looking more and more likely that The Great Southern Star won’t be on the agenda.
Instead he will travel over with Mossdale Conner and race potentially twice in Australia before returning home to prepare for the Jewels and other feature trotting events here in New Zealand.
“He’s only a four-year-old and I’m conscious of pushing him too hard too soon,’’ Greg Hope said.
“I’d like to take him over there though to see how he handles it all and give him that experience before we come back next season for a serious crack.’’
That seems like a very measured and understandable approach from the Woodend Beach trainers and follows the same pattern which they have taken with the strapping son of Love You throughout his career.
There has never been any rush. It’s all been on Monbet’s time and while his three-year-old season might have been relatively fruitless in terms of big race success, it has undoubtedly played a big part in the way he has come back this season.
But he’s going to have to keep improving because his arch rival, Speeding Spur, resumed last night and resumed in style with a fast finishing second.
“I am absolutely rapt with his effort,” Joshua Dickie said.
“That was perfect for what we wanted fresh up, he’s hit the line strong.’’
One Over Da Moon was brave in the run to the line to finish third for Tony Herlihy.
But the real question mark was again Stent.
He found the lead and then trailed but showed none of his usual great spark up the straight and to be fair only laboured his way into fourth.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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