“Not much changes really, Mum is still flying up with our horses on Wednesday and Dad will drive the truck up empty so we have it up there over the next six weeks.
“So it is very much the three of us but it is a big thrill to be officially part of the partnership.”
“I will come up to drive him [Muscle Mountain] on Friday.”
While the Hopes have trained some wonderful pacers it is outstanding trotters who have been the mainstay of their stable, so winning our richest-ever trot would be like a New Zealand Cup for them.
Ben says Muscle Mountain’s chances could hinge on the barrier draw, revealed at 7.30pm on Tuesday.
Muscle Mountain may have lost a step or two of raw speed but he is still a fast beginner with a high cruising speed and if he draws inside the other early flyers and looks likely to lead on Friday night his $7.50 pre-quote draw will more than halve.
“He still has that gate speed and he even showed it in this race last year when he flew the gate from out wide but simply ran out of straight to get across them,” explains Ben.
“If we can draw inside horses like The Locomotive and Bet N Win then I think we can get across most of the others early and I’d love to be in front.
“So the draw is crucial for us.”
The best Muscle Mountain, or any of his male rivals, can draw is barrier 3, with the two mares in the trot, Queen Elida and Im Ready Jet, guaranteed the two inside barriers under the race 2200m race’s conditions. Hope admits the family have to pick their battles with Muscle Mountain these days, knowing they can’t have him screwed down for every race as his old sports car of a body starts to rattle at higher speeds.
“I think last year’s version of him or even two years ago would have won his last start at Addington. But he will be spot-on for this Friday.
“If a horse like The Locomotive draws to lead maybe we can’t beat him. But if we draw well the shoe might be on the other foot.”
All the Australian-trained horses for the two mammoth slot races are now safely in New Zealand and heading into tonight’s draw (live on Trackside at 7.30pm) they provide the favourite in both races.
Leap To Fame went odds-on on Monday into $1.90 to win the Race by Betcha pace while The Locomotive was the $3 equal favourite for the trot with Oscar Bonavena but if he draws to lead his profit margin could halve.
NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS
What: New Zealand’s biggest night of harness race of the year.
Where: Cambridge.
When: Friday, first race at 5.08pm.
Highlights: The $1 million Race by Betcha (8.52pm), $600,000 TAB Trot (7.49pm) and a far stronger support card than recent years.
After Party: Straight after the last with Kaylee Bell.
Can I go? Yes, limited general admission and champion’s lawn tickets are available.
What next? Barrier draw reveal and preview show on Trackside 1 tonight from 7.30pm.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.
