NZ HARNESS NEWS

In the hype and euphoria of a New Zealand Free-For-All victory to cap off another successful Cup Week at Addington for the All Stars, Natalie Rasmussen couldn’t help but be excited about the future for Ultimate Machete.

And that will come, in the immediate anyway, in Perth where the son of Bettor’s Delight will depart for on Sunday morning.

Any questions about whether or not the former Sires’ Stakes winner would make the step up to open class went out the window when he sat parked outside Tiger Tara on a New Zealand record speed and ground his way to victory.

It probably came as a surprise to most. But not Rasmussen.

“I’m not surprised, he’s a serious horse this guy,” she said.

“You take a horse like him, who has always looked like such a great stayer in the making and iron out a couple of the issues and you have a very good racehorse.

“Vincent was just that bit better than him last year and I’m pretty sure he would have been able to do what this guy did today too.

“They are the future stars.”

Ultimate Machete’s masterclass performance was the result of some careful planning from the All Stars camp who elected to stray away from the Junior Free-For-All on Tuesday in an effort to have him at 100 per cent for the Friday assignment.

That was a plan hatched very early in the preparation ad with a flight to Perth ahead, just the one race for the week should help his recovery.

“I can’t wait to get him over there, he will love the style of racing they have.

“He just keeps going and going and doesn’t lie down, getting into a dog fight is his go in life and he thrives on it. Out there today he just got up on the bit and travelled super the whole way.

“Dropping back to his own age group will be a big help for him over there, but he can just make his own luck, he’s got good gate speed if we want to use it and he can sit three and four wide around those bends and probably still keep coming.”

Ultimate Machete’s Free-For-All time of 2.15.7 eclipsed the previous national mark set by Chase Auckland on Tuesday when he won the Sires’ Stakes Final by 0.4 seconds.

The victory capped off a big week for Phil and Glenys Kennard and Kevin Riseley who as well as sharing in the ownership of Ultimate Machete, also are part owners of Cup winner, Lazarus.

The trio are joined in the ownership of Ultimate Machete by Phil and Margaret Creighton and Gavin Douglas.

Australian raider, Tiger Tara was left with another minor placing for the week after being given every opportunity by Todd McCarthy in front throughout the 1950-metre mobile.

Jack’s Legend who burned across to find the lead early wasn’t far behind the pair in third.

Dream About Me was one of the performances of the race after settling well back and storming home for fourth – gaining a big tick from Mark Purdon.

 

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