Racing: NZ Cup is safe in the north

Memo to the Addington harness racing officials: just leave the New Zealand Cup in the north this season.

After the two major lead-up races last night harness racing's holy grail seems certain to cross Cook Strait next month.

Just An Excuse has held the cup for the past two years and even if he can't make it a hat-trick on November 8 the north looks set to dominate the $400,000 race.

The features at Alexandra Park and Addington last night only further emphasised the gap between the best pacers on the two islands, with Mi Muchacho winning the North Shore City Stakes and White Arrow the Nobilo at Addington.

Mi Muchacho held out an impressive Alta Serena in a slow 2700m event, with Just An Excuse rounding out a trifecta in which all three boosted their cup hopes.

In contrast the Addington race was won by a horse not yet in open class and only Howard Bromac, who was a close third after racing parked, looked a legitimate cup chance.

With only three weeks until the cup and with the south's most talented pacer Roman Gladiator a confirmed withdrawal, smart money will be on the cup coming north.

Mi Muchacho may start favourite in the great race after last night's win, his second in as many starts.

Last night's race was one he had to win after driver Peter Ferguson got away with setting a ridiculously slow pace which allowed him to cruise over the last 800m in 56.1 seconds (his final 400 in 27) and even then he was hardly asked for his best until the 200m mark.

He looked set to be tested by Just An Excuse at the top of the straight but Mi Muchacho proved again just how hard he is to pass when in front.

While he is now the horse to beat at Addington there was plenty to admire about Alta Serena as she flew down the outside into second after being well off the pace starting the final 800m.

And Just An Excuse, who has been troubled by niggling problems this campaign, also lost few friends with his third after being forced by the slow pace to make the mid-race move driver Todd Mitchell was not keen on.

Even the failure of the race for punters, Myron, did not disappoint driver Maurice McKendry. "The track was quite deep down on the inside and that didn't help him so I was happy enough," he said.

The two open class races were the highlights at the two major tracks, with upsets in the other features.

At Alexandra Park, Matter Of Pride overcame dual Derby winner Badlands Bute in the $30,000 Kumeu Stakes and Toomuch To Do continued the puzzling open class season by winning the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup.