Messini wins at Methven

Natalie Rasmussen has got up off the canvas like a prizefighter to win the Methven Cup.All looked rosy when Messini and Rasmussen won the Group III event, in the Art Major entire’s first start back in New Zealand after campaigning in Australia with former Canterbury trainer Brent Lilley.

But earlier in the day Rasmussen was smashed onto the track in race six after her drive Emmanuel appeared to slip just after the field he rounded the home bend.

In a nasty crash, Gabby’s Star, Maximus Prime, Stoney Eyre were all brought down. Drivers Robbie Holmes, Bob Butt and Rasmussen all escaped serious injury but Sam Ottley was airlifted to hospital after suffering moderate spinal injuries. She was to have x-rays on Sunday night. All horses involved are understood to have escaped serious injury.

Rasmussen, who co-trains Australasia’s leading harness racing stable with Mark Purdon, said she was a bit ‘‘battered and bruised’’ but it was going to take more than a few scrapes and cuts to keep the gritty Australian out of the sulky.

The win does not give Messini automatic entry to the New Zealand Trotting Cup but it almost certainly assures his spot and Rasmussen said that takes some pressure off.

‘‘If he didn’t go any good today we might have had to go to Ashburton just to try and get him a start and I think that would have been a bit soon for him to back up,’’ Rasmussen said.

Messini went into the race ranked 18th for the cup and although he did not upset any super stars he did beat four runners ranked ahead of him and with further defections from the top 15 likely he should be joining All Stars stablemate Smolda in the cup.

Messini’s next start will likely be the Kaikoura Cup Rasmussen and Purdon were expecting a bold run given Messini’s quality horse but his driver puts the win down to getting such a good trip.

Quick As A Trick put in a super run for second after being slow away.