The Auckland Reactor gelding paced the fastest 1950m in national history and did it with such ease at the finish co-trainer and driver Natalie Rasmussen had time to salute the roaring Addington crowd.
\While Chase Auckland’s time of 2.16.10 was stunning, Rasmussen’s assessment of the horse after the group 1 event was even more remarkable.
The champion horsewoman, who is not known to overhype horses — but is known for astute judgement of horse-flesh — labelled him harness racing’s next superstar after his win.
‘‘I think he is going to be a very serious horse when he grows up.
‘‘I know he has not had to do all the work yet but I think he has got the grit and the speed.’’
What particularly struck Rasmussen about Chase Auckland’s win was the way the horse felt travelling in the trail behind leader King Of Swing.
Despite the New Zealand record pace of the race, the unbeaten 3yr-old felt like he was travelling at half-pace.
‘‘He sits on good speed. It felt like we were walking and I was thinking ‘Gee are we going to get going soon?’, because he was actually getting a bit aggressive.
‘’I think he is a pretty serious horse.’’
Earlier on the Addington programme, trotter Great Things Happen effectively turned the group 1 New Zealand Trotting Free-for-all into a trial.
The 6yr-old ran away from his rivals and gave trainer-driver Gavin Smith his first group 1 training victory in the $100,000 race.
So comprehensive was the win, the final 300m of the race turned into a training hit-out as Smith sat motionless in the sulky behind the favourite for Friday’s Dominion.
Smith confirmed after the three-length victory that it was as easy as it looked.
‘‘It was, really. He did that easy,’’ he said.
Smith is also expecting his impressive trotter to handle the three-day back-up into Friday’s Dominion with similar ease.
‘‘I don’t think backing up will be a problem at all, really.’’
Although the victory will serve to further endorse the giant trotter’s favouritism for the 3200m feature, Smith is not getting ahead of himself.
‘‘He has showed he showed that he was up to those trotters today, but it is another step up to Bordeaux and some others on Friday.
‘‘But I do not think it will worry him.’
‘‘Unfortunately, with the free-for-all being today and the Dominion being on Friday some of the better ones are not there.’’
Great Things Happen created his own luck with his good manners yesterday.
‘‘I was a little bit lucky. Without him [Ronald J] galloping I might not have got off the fence. I was pulling back to get off but when he galloped I changed my mind. So I was a little bit lucky.’’
Great Things Happen also entered the national record books yesterday.
His 2.21.7 time equalled the mark Monbet set by winning the same race last year.
