By Michael Guerin
A perfect comeback has given Mum’s Pride a plethora of options for the new season.
The exciting trotter’s first start as a five-year-old was a winning one as he effortlessly overcame a 30m handicap to win the main trot at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
The race couldn’t have panned out any better for trainer-driver James Stormont, who wanted to win but do so without hurting Mum’s Pride.
So after key rival Paramount Dream galloped, he found himself in the one-one starting the last lap and then towed beautifully into the race when KD Hall pressured the leaders down the back straight.
That allowed Stormont to drive Mum’s Pride for one run and he cruised to a one and a quarter length win over Whitney, with the other feature of the race the storming late fourth of Paramount Dream after her early gallop, suggesting she is a future open classer.
The win was the first leg of a double for Stormont, with Charleston Belle taking out a intermediate grade pacer in vastly different fashion, leading throughout.
That gives him two horses to aim at Alexandra Park’s group ones next month.
“We will give Charleston Belle her shot at the Queen Of Hearts where I’d love to think she could run a place,” says Stormont.
“But after watching The Orange Agent win at the workouts on Saturday, we are up against it. She was awesome.”
But it is Mum’s Pride who is Stormont’s flag flyer, having now won nine of his 15 starts.
“That was the perfect comeback for him,” admits Stormont.
“You dream of getting a win that easy fresh up and now he can race through at Alexandra Park and Cambridge until the National Trot on New Years Eve.”
The enormous array of rich trotting races in the north over the summer is the reason Stormont missed Cup week at Addington with Mum’s Pride and he says he will let the gelding decide his own future in the New Year.
“He has to take on Stent, Master Lavros and Monbet in these races coming up and that will let us know where we stand,” says Stormont.
“I am not saying we can beat Stent yet but he is still only a 15-start horse and another year at this level will be good for him.
“But if he proves competitive then we have options and we don’t need to make a decision yet.
“After the National Trot on New Years Eve we can sit down and work out whether a race like the Great Southern Star at Melton is realistic for him. One thing I would say is, I don’t think two races in a day would bother him.”
The depth of the open class trots suggest they could be the star races of the carnival over the next six weeks but Hughie Green did his bit to add some hype to the December 31 Auckland Cup with a stunning comeback win on Friday.
The giant pacer showed manners and class topped off with a 26.8 second last 400m to bolt away from Besotted in the feature pace on Friday.
Trainer Brian Hughes told HRNZ he will nominate Hughie Green for the Auckland Cup where he and old rival Have Faith In Me will add glamour to an open class crop in transition.
While Have Faith In Me has to rank the higher of the two four-year-olds at the moment, his standing starts has so far been disasters, whereas Hughie Green has been smooth in his two attempts from behind the tapes.
That could be crucial as the Cup reverts to a 3200m standing start this season.
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