Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
ID25 PACERS HEAT ONE
The opening pacers heat looked to be the most open of the night.
However, within the opening 300 metres the race was soon firmly in the grasp of Sure Thing Captain.
Fired off the gate by driver Adam Sanderson, the pair took control and Sanderson was able to secure a steady lead time before dialling it up through a closing half of 53.1 seconds to put the race beyond the reach of the chasing pack.
Sure Thing Captain claimed the 16 points on offer to the winner.
The second-placed Catch A Wave made full use of the revised format and bonus points on offer for the best sectional performers.
Catch A Wave picked up an added three points to go with his second-place finish tally of 13 points.
The only mare in the series, Rakero Rebel, secured third and assured connections of vital points with the result.
ID25 PACERS HEAT TWO
Despite a second line gate, Don Hugo was able to find running line cover for driver Luke McCarthy and was set free at the top of the stretch.
The pacer quickly loomed up take control and cruised home to take out the second heat.
Captains Knock, who had faced barrier seven, was sent forward by Brad Hewitt to sit outside the leader, Aroda, with that pair controlling the race from the front.
The Hewitt-trained five-year-old defied the tough trip and loomed strongly to find the front.
However, Don Hugo showed his class and powered home over the top to secure the win, with Aroda clinging on for third.
“I like driving him with a sit I don’t often get the chance the way it pans out,” McCarthy said post-race.
“He’s got that speed and another run under his belt next week we’re really looking forward to it.
“You saw him in the Inters last year, three runs in the week just done him a lot of good. He’s pulled up well now he’ll jump out of the ground with that.”
ID25 PACERS HEAT THREE
The local champion and series favourite Leap To Fame had drawn inside the second line for the third pacers heat and all eyes were on the tactics that trainer and driver Grant Dixon would employ at the start.
Taking no risks, Dixon eased the six-year-old back early to find the running line and was soon moving forward three-wide.
He took control of the race with 1400 metres left to travel.
Once in front, Leap To Fame was in cruise control, powering home to a commanding victory and picking up all four sectional bonus points on offer to sit atop the leaderboard following the three pacing heats.
Along with all four bonus points, Leap To Fame also recorded the fastest heat time of the three winners and posted the biggest winning margin.
“Trista and I have got him up there now and it’s just a matter of ticking him over and with racing he keeps himself pretty right,” Dixon said.
The only Kiwi-trained pacer in the series, Pinseeker, held on for a second.
Petes Said So snuck into third and was able to earn valuable points as the series heads to round two this Saturday night.
ID25 TROTTERS HEAT ONE
The opening trotters heat was packed with drama right from the start with a false start declared in the initial score up when race favourite London To A Brick went off stride and interfered with the second favourite Oscar Bonavena.
The drama escalated soon after on the second take when London To A Brick galloped 200 metres after the start and with another error finished a tailed off last.
Nathan Dawson pounced on the early situation to find the front with Golden Sunset, who had started from inside the second line, and controlling the tempo, held on for a narrow victory.
“Last trial we were super happy and I said to trainer Shawn Grimsey, I think we’re back,” Dawson said.
“It’s good to have her back at the right time.”
Gus made a clean sweep of the sectional bonuses, flashing home for second place, with Parisian Artiste running on strongly for third.
Oscar Bonavena was a head-scratching run.
The Kiwi champion finished in seventh place after never working into the clear and the veteran will need plenty to go his way on night two to make the decider.
ID25 TROTTERS HEAT TWO
Bet N Win made full use of his inside barrier.
The trotter burrowed through soon after the start and once in control the race was never in danger.
The Kiwi superstar cruised home for an effortless victory.
“He felt super and trotting good, he’s getting the all-round game now, he can sprint and stay, fingers crossed he keeps improving with each run,” Bet N Win's driver Bob Butt said.
Producing his best performance since returning from New Zealand, the Graham Dwyer-trained Not As Promised was game in defeat, sitting parked throughout and finishing under three metres from the winner.
Arcee Phoenix attacked the line strongly in the closing stages for third.
THE RISING SUN WRAP
With a front line packed with speed, the run to the first corner of The Rising Sun was always going to be keenly contested.
The early battle was won by the Grant Dixon-trained and reined Path To Greatness.
The three-year-old held the early advantage from barrier one.
Dele Row tried to get across but was repelled as the field moved between bends and with the jostling for early position, Jacks Ultimate Fury moved forward to face the breeze in the early stages.
That left The Janitor three wide and Pete McMullen was then committed to move around the field.
McMullen finally found the position outside Path To Greatness with 1400 metres remaining.
With no change to the order for the next lap, the tempo made it impossible for anything back in the pack to make a run and as the field swung for home, The Janitor loomed strongly.
Fate Awaits sat behind the speed in preparation for the passing lane.
It was anyone’s race with 150 metres remaining.
However, it was Trista Dixon and Fate Awaits who darted through along the passing lane to claim victory and history.
Fate Awaits became the first three-year-old to win The Rising Sun, while Trista Dixon secured her maiden Group 1 driving success.
The Janitor was brave holding on for second while another three-year-old Jacks Ultimate Fury hit the line strongly to grab third.
