Horse Racing: Special Force still a big threat

By Michael Guerin

Special Force's shock defeat at Alexandra Park last night may have dented punters' pockets but it did nothing to harm driver Todd MacFarlane's confidence.

Special Force looked certain to add another Interdominion heat to the one he won last Friday when he burst to an early lead last night and had an easy run.

But he was surprisingly outsprinted late in the race by the big mover in the series, Mountain Gold, who roared home along the passing lane.

The win confirmed Mountain Gold as a serious contender in the series but also raised questions over Special Force's ability to run out the hard 3200m of next week's Grand Final while he is still only a 5-year-old.

But MacFarlane said that is the least of his worries.

"I think he is a stayer and I think the staying race next week will really suit him," said the talented reinsman.

"We might have been outsprinted tonight but Mountain Gold has got a great deal of speed and he had the sit on us.

"There is no disgrace losing to a horse like him."

MacFarlane had appeared to give Special Force a soft run to the line but that was an illusion.

The Pukekohe driver gave Special Force three or four decent cracks with the whip on his right side which was hidden from the public.

"He was giving me everything he had so there was no point beating him up over the final stages. He was flat out."

While the defeat of Special Force was a shock, Mountain Gold's performance confirmed trainer-driver Jim Smith's great faith in the chestnut.

Smith is one of New Zealand's leading trainers of squaregaiters and he rated Mountain Gold the fastest trotter he had driven a year ago when the 5-year-old was galloping his way round in the lower classes.

"I have always known how good he is and I have no doubt he will get even better as he gets older," Smith said.

While Mountain Gold's odds plumeted after his win, two of the plunge trotters of the series lost favour last night.

Africa improved during a fast section of the race and was found wanting later on while Noopy Kiosk left himself with too much to do after a slow start.

"I couldn't take the chance of having him right up with the field at the start because he started to pace when he was in amongst the field in the first run-up last Friday night," said Noopy Kiosk's driver Dave Gibbons.

"But I realise he will have to be a lot closer early on Friday in the mile heat if he is to have any chance of making the final."

Hancock's half-hour

Interdominion king Brian Hancock revealed the real story behind Sir Vancelot's rollercoaster season after the pair broke their New Zealand duck at Alexandra Park last night.

Sir Vancelot early speed was enough to secure him the lead in the final pacing heat last night and that saw him easily hold out Iraklis in the race of the night.

The performance dropped Sir Vancelot's odds for next week's Grand Final, odds which got as long at 14-1 when Sir Vancelot arrived in New Zealand with few feature race wins this season.

But Hancock said this season has been a battle for him and his champion.

"He has basically been running on seven cylinders all season when really he should be a V-8," Hancock. said.

"He got crook one night at Harold Park one night right back at the start of the season and it has been a battle getting him back to his best.

"But I am thrilled with him now and he will be very hard to beat in the final."

Hancock rates Bogan Fella the horse to beat in next week's final, saying that while he respects Iraklis, Sir Vancelot has had a vastly superior record when the pair have clashed.

But that was not how Iraklis' trainer Robert Cameron saw things.

"I timed my horse to run his last 2400m in 2:59 and he is the one to beat in the final," Cameron said.

"He is thriving on the series."