Racing: Trainer enjoying the moment

Not even a rival starting from an incorrect barrier position could unsettle Delft and prevent him bouncing back to winning form in the Inter Dominion Series on Friday night.

At the request of trainer Michelle Wallis, Delft was placed on the unruly position for mobile start racing after making a mess of things on Tuesday night and recovering brilliantly to finish sixth.

Delft was to start from the unruly one position on Friday night with Gold alongside him at the unruly two position. In the score-up before the start, Delft's driver Tony Herlihy was giving Gold's trainer-driver Nicky Chilcott plenty of racing room in an attempt to allow this runner the opportunity to get to their correct starting position.

When the field was released Gold began from barrier one and Delft from barrier two. Harness Racing New Zealand stipendiary stewards missed this mix-up as did the official race starter.

Gold trotted home solidly to finish fifth. There have been previous cases where the Judicial Control Authority has disqualified racehorses for starting from an incorrect barrier draw.

Delft settled back in last position but when the pace of the race was eased Herlihy sent the 6-year-old sprinting forward three wide around the field to lead for the closing 1200 metres.

The massive striding gelding was eased down at the finish to win by 3/4 of a length over the solid closing Martina H with a further 1/2 length back to Sammy Do Good (third).

The 2700 metres was cut out in 3.26.1 (mile rate 2.03) with closing 800 metre and 400 metre sectionals of 60 seconds and 30.7 seconds.

"He won that heat pretty easily and taking him out of the draw and placing him on the unruly mark was a smart move," said Herlihy. "It's not that he's a bad trotter or anything it's just that on Tuesday night he wanted to race the other horses out of the mobile gate and threw in a couple of long strides and galloped.

"He was a lot more settled in this round of qualifying heats and showed a lot of speed when I asked him to sprint around the field and lead.

"It may have looked like he threw in a couple of fancy steps with a lap to run but that was because he was a little goofy out there and he's still getting used to racing with a murphy blind added to his racing gear.

"I don't have to drive him like that next week to win the Inter Dominion (Grand) Final as he's an amazing horse to drive with a sit off the pace."

As far as Wallis is concerned, Delft is already a Grand Final winner in her eyes.

"In 12 starts since coming back to New Zealand from North America this horse has gone from a two win trotter to defeating the best free-for-all trotters in Australasia. I want to win the final next week but he's done an incredible job to handle the jump in class. Whatever happens this horse is a winner in my eyes. He will be an amazing competitor in another 12 months."