Self Assured headed a trifecta of training greatness in the New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington yesterday, but for plenty of punters, that wasn't the story of the race.
The immensely talented pacer was first away of the favourites, enabling him to lead, then trail, before blowing away his rivals,adding the $540,000 IRT Cup to the Auckland Cup he won last New Year's Eve.
He headed home a stable trifecta for champion trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, with Spankem a brave but outclassed second and Ashley Locaz third, a remarkable feat even by the stratospheric standards set by our greatest ever harness trainers.
As he powered up the home straight, surging further clear with every stride, Self Assured reminded us what a talent he is, with the irony that the standing start manners which are so often his downfall were one of his strengths.
But he was aided by the horses wide on the track walking up as the tapes were released at the Cup start, giving them a moving start, whereas those drawn closer to the inside were stagnant and left standing.
Most importantly, that included favourite Copy That, who started from barrier one but was soon back to last. He did himself no favours but even had he begun well, he would have been crossed because the horses drawn wide were going too quickly as the start was activated.
There is no guarantee Copy That, who finished eighth after a mid-race move to sit parked, would have won or even placed.
But the fact the favourite in our richest harness appeared to even the most casual observers to have been disadvantaged at the start on the code's biggest stage left plenty seething.
The reality is, at the performance level Self Assured produced, Copy That would have been flat beating him. And most punters will ultimately cop a loss when beaten by a better horse on the day.
But when they feel they got beaten in what may not have been a fair fight, punters fume and some walk away.
What officialdom makes of the standing start, which has been an issue before in New Zealand Cups in recent years, will be interesting, as there is bound to be fallout.
While it will detract from the winner's performance for some, it shouldn't, as Self Assured is the real deal when he is dialled in, which he was yesterday.
He may return to Alexandra Park next month to defend his Auckland Cup title before heading to Sydney for the Miracle Mile come March.
The Cup trifecta was the highlight of another dominant day for the All Stars stable, as It's All About Faith won the Sires' Stakes Final and Amazing Dream was enormous in the Nevele R Fillies Final.
Amazing Dream is owned by the same Victorian connections as Self Assured and they could now clash in the mobile start NZ Free-For-All on Friday.
Yesterday's feature trot was won by northern-owned Heavyweight Hero for young trainer Bob Butt, giving him his first Group 1 training success.
