Racing: Southerners send out Cup warning with Flying finish

ASHBURTON - A southern domination of yesterday's Ashburton Flying Stakes wasn't enough for them to wrest New Zealand Cup favouritism off the northern raiders.

Harnetts Creek led throughout to win the $50,000 group two feature, holding out the strong late run of White Arrow while Howard Bromac produced the run of the race for third after sitting parked for the last 1200m.

But while the sole northerner in the race, Just An Excuse, could only manage a luckless fourth, he is still rated a better New Zealand Cup hope than any southerner.

Mi Muchahco is now the $4.50 favourite for the $400,000 cup at Addington on November 8, ahead of Just An Excuse at $5 and Alta Serena at $5.50.

In fact the highest rated southerner, Mainland Banner, didn't even start in the Flying Stakes, instead bolting away with her final lead-up race in the intermediate grade yesterday.

"We think the northern form this season has been a little stronger so we were not too swayed by that race," said TAB bookmaker Paul Lally.

Even Harnetts Creek's winning driver Anthony Butt seemed to agree, admitting the eight-year-old will need plenty of luck to win the great race.

"He is a good journeyman and hard to catch when he is in front," said Butt. "He can win the cup because John [Parsons] is a good trainer but he may not have quite the ability of some of the other favourites.

What Harnetts Creek did show yesterday is that he could set up a 4:00 cup if he steps to the front as he is a very competitive front runner.

"That's his best chance, stepping well and settling handy," said Butt.

White Arrow cemented his spot in the cup with his second while Howard Bromac looks one of the each way value runners in the big race as he was slow away yesterday and that cost him dearly.

While only fourth Just An Excuse lost few fans as he settled back and lost valuable momentum on the home bend when Tidal Franco, whom he was following, started to drift.

"It was a good run because he hasn't finished too far from them and I think he will be spot on for the cup," said driver Todd Mitchell.

Not so impressive were the Grant Payne-trained pair of Likmesiah and Born Again Christian.

Born Again Christian faded after trailing, derailing the hopes of the fixed odds punter who had $5000 on him yesterday morning.

And Likmesiah, who was also heavily backed, settled last and had no chance when the leaders paced their final 800m in 55.6 seconds.

While few of the southerner open class pacers, with the exception of Bob's Blue Boy who missed yesterday's race, look up to winning the cup, Mainland Banner will have plenty of fans after her win.

The four-year-old mare had no problems in disposing of her rivals with a 55.5 second last 800m to win untested, even though her overall time was slower than Harnetts Creek's.