Racing: National record at Addington for Harriet Of Mot

John Dunn drives Harriet Of Mot (8) to a record win. Photo / Race Images

Classy mare Harriet Of Mot set an all-comers national record for the frequently-raced 2600m mobile trip at Addington on Saturday night.

Her time of 3.12 (1.58.8 mile-rate) bettered Eyre I Come's national record of 3.12.6, set in the Trotting Championship at Easter, while the female record was Habibti's 3.13.5.

However, Habibti was a filly when she set that mark in the Trotting Derby and Harriet Of Mot actually smashed the previous record for mares, set by the Phil Williamson-trained and driven Jasmyn's Gift in the Trotting Championship 12 years ago, by more than three seconds.

Driver John Dunn took the mare back from a wide draw, but a fast early pace set the race up for the swoopers and Dunn launched Harriet of Mot four-wide in the back straight.

Sundon's Flyer and junior driver Sarah O'Reilly and Arran Chief and Andrew Faulks set up the record with a lead time of 1.12 but they were gone in the back straight and tailed the field home.

Trainers Craig and Aimee Edmonds have not been tempted to shoot up for the National Trot in Auckland later this month, however.

Harriet Of Mot made that trip as a five-year-old last season but it was a disaster and her form had been indifferent since.

However, she showed she was back to her best in the Dominion with a stunning performance to finish seventh after an early gallop which cost her a dozen lengths.

The finish of the Dominion was still going to be close with Amaretto Sun before Harriet Of Mot also went for a gallop late in the piece. "She'd had a few niggles and issues in the spring and being a typical female, it didn't take much for her to throw her toys out of the cot," said Aimee.

"We won't tempt fate by going to Auckland again and undoing all the good work after what happened last time up there. There's free-for-alls at Omakau and Addington in the New Year."

Harriet Of Mot completed another double for the Edmonds after her half-brother Muscles Galore had also won impressively earlier in the night in the hands of Dunn.

• Tony Cameron enjoyed a good 24-hour period at Alexandra Park to start the weekend, driving two winners and recording his first Group race placing. All three came behind horses — The Almighty Johnson, Queen Lostris and Charlie Mach — trained by his long-time boss, Tony Herlihy.

The Almighty Johnson had the trail in Friday night's Group 2 $50,000 Lyell Creek Stakes for trotters and took advantage, running third behind stablemate Temporale and gun square-gaiter Speeding Spur.

"The two that went past him are bloody good horses so it was a top effort to run third."

Fast forward 24 hours and Cameron reined home a pair of winners on the eight-race card, showing great patience and skill with both.

Charlie Mach was having his first start for Herlihy after transferring from down-sized former trainer Geoff Small over the winter.

Queen Lostris was another to come from well back in the field and win, defying her bad draw on the outside of the second line.

- NZ Harness News