General Jen produces dazzling win at Addington

By Michael Guerin

No trainer likes to lose one of the best horses out of their team, especially when they have just won a Group 2 in dazzling style.

But co-trainer Hayden Cullen says owner Kevin McKerrow is doing the right thing retiring General Jen after her next start.

The four-year-old mare absolutely flew up the Addington passing lane to win Friday night’s $60,00 Garrards Mares Championship, sling-shotting past Debbie Lincoln when that leader looked like she was home.

Horses winning races from five back on the markers are rare enough at any time in harness racing but almost never seen in high-class sprint races.

And as dramatic as that sounds it was even more stunning to the eye as General Jen was only a factor in the finish at the 100m mark before winning going away for Blair Orange.

Cullen and his wife Amanda train General Jen for McKerrow under his McKerrow Bloodstock banner and know that her next start in the NZ Breeders Stakes on February 13 will be her last.

“She is racing in foal to Confederate so the Group 1 next start will be her last,” says Cullen.

“And while we’d love to have her for longer I think Kevin is doing the right thing.

“After her win tonight and if she was to win again in two weeks she’d be racing in open class more often than not.

"She has very little left to prove and is very fast, which a lot of people look for in a broodmare, so I think it makes sense.”

The thrilling finish sets up the Group 1 in two weeks perfectly and capped a night full of classy performances.

The most momentous was the big boy of trotting Muscle Mountain recording his 40th win in New Zealand, now only four behind the iron horse of the early 1990s in Idle Scott’s domestic record.

Muscle Mountain blasted straight to the front and was never in danger of defeat and would appear to have most of the South Island open class trots in the immediate future at his mercy as the open class crop isn’t strong.

“We’d love to give him his shot at getting that record held by Idle Scott,” said co-trainer Greg Hope.

“He is remarkable, he hasn’t really changed that much from what he was two years ago.”

Also leading almost throughout on Friday night was Pinseeker in the $18,000 open pace as he was allowed to work forward by trainer Jonny Cox before bolting to a five length win.

He got away with easy sectionals in the first three-quarters of the race and probably never hit top speed until the 100m mark yet still paced his final 400m in 26.9 seconds to confirm his travels last season have helped him develop the manners to go with his natural speed.

And earlier Double Jeopardy overcame  the outside barrier draw to wear down Bazooka after a well-timed mid-race move by Tim Williams.