Brittany Graham - Kiwi pride on its way back

Now that former Queensland and now Kiwi-based presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham is living in this country and working for Trackside she's happy to share her thoughts about all things racing. 

By Brittany Graham 
 
The battle is on for New Zealand to wrangle back its biggest harness racing prizes.

The last three IRT New Zealand Trotting Cups have been taken back across the Tasman, while both editions of the Trot Slot have gone the same way.

To heighten the blows, last year's $1,000,000 The Race and the last two time-honoured Dominions have also been won by Australians.

It’s a stark difference to what was previously a near impossible task for the green and gold raiders when competing on New Zealand soil.

While Cambridge’s Night Of Champions looks like another struggle for the Kiwi contingent, there is light at the end of the tunnel with a wave of stars ready to step up and take back the crowns.

The Lazarus Effect has won the free-for-all pacing features at Alexandra Park the last two weekends and looks to have the all-round game with great versatility, manners and most importantly, gate speed.

His rise has been quite incredible with only 16 starts to his name, and with Bob Butt taking the gentle approach with the gelding and missing Cambridge, he’s a leading light of the future.

If the Lazarus Effect is a potential top liner when it comes to the pacing ranks, then what does that make Jumal who beat him on merit only three weeks ago?

The superstar three-year-old has since added two more features to his resume, including a hard-fought victory in last weekend’s rich Harness Million Final when everything was against him.

Many are touting Jumal as “the next big thing” in New Zealand harness racing, and he is part of a great stable which will give him every opportunity to achieve the great things hoped.

Then there is last year’s headline acts in Marketplace and Got The Chocolates.

The two staged some epic battles late last year and the geldings look set for many more as they transition against open age company.

Now four years of age, we are yet to see Marketplace return after a solid break and slow build up, which could see him head to Australia for the Winter.

Meanwhile, Got The Chocolates may have scarily returned even better, looking a bigger and stronger commodity in two easy return victories.

He ticked the standing start box, and in a big way on Friday night, setting a new national record for the 2600metre standing start conditions. And the ear plugs were still in.
 
When it comes to the trotting gait, there is hope there too of holding off the likes of Keayang Zahara, Jilliby Ballerini and Gus from across the ditch.

A star youngster, Meant To Be has furnished in mind and body early in his four-year-old season to claim back-to-back feature race successes, including Friday nights Lyell Creek Stakes.

Add in proven Group 1 winner Hillbilly Blues, and several promising soon to be returning four-year-olds, the crop looking to take back New Zealand's trotting pride is certainly growing.