New Zealand Age Group Classics night at Addington - Recap

New Zealand Age Group Classics night is underway at Addington Raceway, with the stellar programme featuring five Group 1s.

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

$50,000 Group 3 TOUCHDOWN CAR RENTALS THE GOLD BRACELET (MOBILE TROT) 

The night's opening Group race turned into a romp for $1.50 favourite Petite Armour and driver John Dunn. After starting safely Dunn opted to trail Becky's Girl and around the home turn he manoeuvred his way into the open to easily pick up the leader. She went on to win easily, with Becky's Girl second. It was her third win in six starts. Katelin ran into third with the trifecta paying $19.90. 

$60,000 Group 2 CONTINENTAL EVENT HIRE GRAND DUCHESS (HANDICAP TROT)

I Dream Of Jeannie gave John Dunn and Diamond Racing their third winner for the night, and it was only race 4. (He won with Follow Your Dream in Race 3 as well).Princess Sadie worked her way to the front for Matthew Williamson only for Walkinonsunshine to circle the field and into the lead a lap out. Blair Orange looked confident heading for home and had the field covered except for I Dream Of Jeannie who came from a long way back with a great finish. It was her 15th win from 99 starts, with Dunn saying "the way she ran tonight she's not finished yet". Walkinonsunshine was second with Rush just pipping Princess Sadie for third. I Dream Of Jeannie opened at double figures and was backed into $6.50. 

$50,000 Group 3 BETAVET MILLWOOD NIKE 2YO FILLIES CLASSIC (MOBILE PACE) (Gr3) 

What a time of it the father-son combo of Brendon and Seth Hill are having right now. Fresh off a double at Rangiora yesterday the Hills got a Group 3 win with Cath in the Millwood Nike Classic. Cath zipped out of the gate and got the perfect trail behind The Queens Gambit and then whisked up  the passing lane. Cath paid $6 for the win, with Secret Wish second and B B Crunch (paying $18.50 a place) getting up for third. "It just worked out perfect," Seth Hill said post race, "she did it quite nice in the end." The trifecta paid $914.80. Hill was second with Patiro in Race 1 tonight as well. 

$140,000 Group 1 WOODLANDS STUD NEW ZEALAND TROTTING OAKS (MOBILE TROT) 3YO Fillies

The night's first Group 1 was expected to be a match race between Australian star Tracy The Jet and Team Dunn's Ya Rite Darl.The first sensation was when Ya Rite Darl rolled into an early  gallop. With her out of contention Tracy The Jet, THE ASCENT winner last week, and a $1.40 favourite looked to have the race at her mercy. All the time Dash Dosh, with Blair Orange, sat in the trail and then outsprinted the hotpot in the passing lane. She paid $16 for the win. The Dash Dosh-Tracy The Jet- Request (paying $18 a place) trifecta paid $734. 
"She's very fast," said Orange post race, "holding the trail was the winning or losing of that race." Trained by Tom Bagrie, it's Dash Dosh's fifth win in 17 starts. 

$225,000 Group 1 TENNANT ENGINEERING NEW ZEALAND PACING OAKS (MOBILE PACE) 

Arafura - just wow. The Hayden and Amanda Cullen-trained pacer looked no chance but Mark Purdon produced an absolute pearler of a drive to win the Pacing Oaks. The combo were last with a lap to go only for Purdon to peel four and five wide turning for home. It was a blistering finish and "an enormous win", in the words of commentator Matt Cross. A clearly emotional Hayden Cullen could scarcely believe what had unfolded. "It was a hard watch ...I thought we were no hope turning in - I can't believe it." Princess Gracy and Chicago Sky stormed home late to fill the $1313.40 trifecta. It was Arafura's fourth win in 16 starts. 

$200,000 Group 1 GARRARDS NEW ZEALAND TROTTING DERBY (MOBILE TROT) 

For a third year in a row the girls outshone the boys in the Derby. And it was a top performance too from the Greg and Ben Hope-trained Habibti Pat who was sent three wide by driver Blair Orange at the 800 metre mark. As the leaders shortened stride Habibti Pat was in full flow as she secured her eighth win in 16 starts. She follows other fillies Keayang Zahara and Sunnys Sister to win the Derby. She paid $6 with favourite Meant To Be holding on for second ahead of Australian visitor Gatesys Gem.  It completed a Trotting Derby - Trotting Oaks double for Orange  after Dash Dosh's win earlier in the night.    

$300,000 Group 1 GARRARDS NEW ZEALAND PACING DERBY (MOBILE PACE) 

It was the war everyone wanted - Marketplace vs Got The Chocolates. They were level at 9-all going into tonight though Got The Chocolates had won their last three meetings. Not tonight. Craig Ferguson was aggressive early and got the led only for John Dunn to go up and sit outside with Got The Chocolates. Ferguson controlled the tempo and in the final 400 metres it was all on. In the end Marketplace had enough in reserve to hold out his rival who was parked throughout. It was Marketplace's 11th win in 21 starts and Ferguson's second Derby in a row after winning last year with We Walk By Faith. The Marketplace-Got The Chocolates-Bettors Anvil trifecta paid $5.80! As Marketplace's trainer Regan Todd said post race - "how good is this for racing?" It was everything it was cracked up to be. 

$125,000 Group 1 THE CHRISTIAN CULLEN 4YO CLASSIC (MOBILE PACE) 

The IRT New Zealand Cup winner Kingman looked unbeatable in the second ever running of the Christian Cullen. Backed into $1.40, that's exactly how it turned out. Driver Luke McCarthy went back to last, launched three wide and into the lead and from there he was never going to get toppled. The Lazarus Effect was outstanding in finishing second with We Walk By Faith finishing third. "An absolute machine" was how McCarthy described Kingman post race. "It's a huge thrill to win the Christian Cullen."