Cup win ‘completes career’
CHAMPION reinswoman Natalie Rasmussen added another jewel to her harness racing crown when Thefixer sprinted to victory in the New Zealand Cup at Addington Raceway yesterday.
Under Rasmussen’s urgings, Thefixer determinedly wore down tenacious runnerup Tiger Tara in the last 100m of the $800,000 race.
The victory gave Australian Rasmussen her first New Zealand Cup win as a driver and her fifth as a trainer in partnership with Mark Purdon. Together they operate All Stars Stables at Rolleston.
‘‘This is the one I hadn’t won and this completes my career,’’ Rasmussen said.
The win took Purdon to a total of six New Zealand Cup wins as a trainer. He is now tied for the record with Cecil Devine and James Bryce.
‘‘It is just incredible. This is what you strive for,’’ Purdon said.
It was the first time Purdon did not get a view of the finish from the winner’s sulky. He was holding down fourth placing with Cruz Bromac, almost two lengths from the Thefixer.
‘‘I was a couple of lengths away and I wasn’t really sure who won.’’
Thefixer gave her partowner, Pauline Gillan, of Lochiel, her first New Zealand Cup victory.
She also partowns Eamon Maguire, formerly trained by Graeme Anderson at Westwood Beach, who ran a creditable race for fifth for the PurdonRasmussen stable.
With Dream About Me finishing third, All Stars dominated the cup finish. The stable produced four of the first five placegetters.
A month out from the New Zealand Cup, Thefixer’s preparation was on shaky ground when he was unable to race because of a hoof abscess.
His allconquering trainers patched him back together and resurrected his campaign just in time for the prestigious race.
Though he was fit enough to win in a fast 3min 53.9sec, Rasmussen admitted he was not at full fitness.
‘‘I am sure if he raced again next week he would be fitter again, he is such a good horse.
‘‘Once the abscess blew out he was fine, but it was the fact he lost fitness and lost preparation [that was the worry],’’ she said.
Her training and driving victory caps the second half of Rasmussen’s incredible career, which took a new path in 2011 when she left Queensland to move to Rolleston to work with Purdon. She left the comforts of a glittering career and her champion, Blake’s A Fake, Australasia’s highestearning pacer.
Though she had reached similar heights on both sides of the Tasman, it was impossible to compare each part of her career, Rasmussen said.
‘‘They are two completely different parts of my life. The Blake’s A Fake part of it was very
good to me because it proved I could match it with the best if I had to.’’
The race for New Zealand Cup glory was down to three horses on the home turn when former Canterbury pacer Tiger Tara — these days with Sydney trainerdriver Kevin Pizzuto — powered to the lead ahead of Thefixer’s stablemate, Dream About Me.
Rasmussen had given Thefixer a perfect run in the trail when surrendering the lead to Dream About Me and driver Tim Williams early in the race.
The pressure Tiger Tara applied to his rivals had Thefixer flat out before the turn, Rasmussen said, though her horse had the best run in the race.
She credited Thefixer’s will to win for helping him overhaul Tiger Tara in the shadows of the post.
‘‘He wants to win. He is genuine as and he just tries so hard.’’
Tiger Tara was game in defeat after sitting parked for the last 2000m of the 3200m race.
❛ He wants to win. He is genuine as and he just tries
so hard
Successful trainerdriver Natalie Rasmussen talking about New Zealand
Trotting Cup winner Thefixer
OTAGO’S biggest hope of landing a significant win at the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton Park rests with Wingatui mare The Precious One in today’s $80,000 group 3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
The Claire Andertontrained mare is expected to start favourite when a quality lineup of mares tackles the 1400m race.
The Precious One will be ridden by Central Districts jockey Jonathan Parkes for the first time.
Anderton and the horse’s owners, the Dennis Brothers, of Woodlands, had no hesitation in booking Parkes.
Their mare’s two previous jockeys, Lisa Allpress and Chris Johnson, were unavailable for the race through suspension.
‘‘I have always rated him as a rider and the Dennis boys were happy to put him on.
‘‘When Lisa and Chris got suspended I had a chat with them and he was our first choice,’’ Anderton said.
The Precious One returned for her first start as a 4yrold with a stunning 1200m win at Riccarton on October 9.
Anderton said her mare had thrived since the win.
‘‘Her work has been good. ‘‘She is a wee bit of a lazy trackworker, so she is a little bit hard to get a line on, but she is feeling super.’’
Woodville raider Bring To The Block and Riccarton mare Montoya Star look The Precious One’s main opposition today.
Rising star Te Akau Shark has been rated at $1.50 odds leading into today’s group 2 $230,000 Coupland’s Mile.
The Jamie Richardstrained galloper is seeking his fifth win in just six starts.
His only defeat came behind Embellish in last year’s group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
Today’s group 3 $100,000 Stewards’ Handicap is headed by Ferrando. The Fast ‘N’ Famous entire has the big task of carrying 60kg in the 1200m race.
He clashes with Prince Oz, who is unbeaten in the South Island since joining Neill Ridley’s team at Riccarton, and the group 1winning sprinter Signify.
A Byerley Park trainer Dawn Williams reached a significant milestone at Te Aroha yesterday when she picked up her 1000th win as a trainer, courtesy of 3yr old filly Jip Jip Rock.
It was the third win of the day for Williams, who trains in partnership with husband Peter.
It was his 1076th win for Peter, who was training in his own right before joining forces with Dawn.
‘‘It’s been a journey and a long journey,’’ Dawn Williams said.
‘‘There have been a few highlights, but probably Sea Swift winning the Auckland Cup in 1988 because I owned her as well.
‘‘We were quite young and it was a huge race in those days. I think it was the richest sporting event in New Zealand at the time at $500,000.’’
A Jockey Hugh Bowman will miss the chance of repeat victories in the Japan Cup despite having a onemonth suspension stemming from the Melbourne Cup varied on appeal to the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board. Bowman was hoping to get the penalties on a careless riding charge, a whip rule breach and returning overweight in the Mel bourne Cup reduced in order to ride Cheval Grand in the Japan Cup on November 25.
Racing Victoria stewards suspended Bowman for one month after his ride on runnerup Marmelo in last week’s Melbourne Cup.
Bowman had a 21meeting ban reduced to 13 for returning in excess of half a kilogram overweight on Marmelo and a 12meeting suspension cut to 10 for careless riding near the 500m mark.
His whip penalty of an eightmeeting suspension was altered to a $10,000 fine.
The appeals board ruled the two suspensions be served cumulatively, meaning his 23meeting ban will finish at midnight on November 27.
‘‘I think it’s a lot fairer than what I was given on the day,’’ Bowman said.
‘‘Obviously, I’m going to miss the Japan Cup, which I’m disappointed about, but that said the findings were fair and adequate.’’