KEY POINTS:
Rarely in the history of racing has a group-one event changed as dramatically in the 10 seconds before the race as last night's Taylor Mile.
The $100,000 group-one sprint was billed as a match-race between New Zealand speedster Pay Me Christian and Aussie hero Divisive but that all changed when the Kiwi galloped in the score up behind the mobile.
That left him tailing the field early while Divisive strode to the front and cruised to one of the easiest Taylor Mile wins ever, downing Power Of Tara and Monkey King.
Remarkably the man behind Divisive, Peter Rixon, missed the pivotal moment of the contest.
"I didn't realise Pay Me Christian was out of it from the start," said the New South Wales trainer-driver.
"When we left the mobile and he wasn't inside me I couldn't believe my luck.
"I was always going to go forward anyway but after that the front was there for him and it actually turned into a very easy race."
Divisive was able to dawdle through the opening 800m before blasting home in 55.5sec, leaving those back in the field struggling.
It was only Rixon's second drive in New Zealand and the win qualifies Divisive for the Harness Jewels 4-year-old event at Ashburton in June.
"We will have to go to that now but of course we have the Messenger here next week first."
With last night's win, four Derbys last season and a champion 2-year-old season behind him, Divisive looks set to develop into the next big star on the Australian grand circuit and has future Interdominion winner written all over him.
Driver David Butt was stunned by Pay Me Christian's gallop, saying the stallion was relaxed before the race.
"He was good as gold but when Classic Line came up inside him in the score up he just lost it."
* Earlier in the night Butt's cousin Anthony Butt had far greater success when he partnered Exotic Lover to win the $125,000 PGG Wrightson Sales Series.
The filly was having just her third career start yet stormed home late to grab Lizzie Maguire and hot favourite Susie Maguire.
Exotic Lover is a daughter of former champion filly Under Cover Lover and is trained by Tim Butt and Phil Anderson, who won last month's Auckland Cup on the same track with Flashing Red.
