Phil's Gift has other factors in his favour. He is trained by Murray Tapper, who has developed Stylish Monarch into a top class trotter. Phil's Gift is a brother to Jasmyn's Gift, winner of 17 races, including the NZ Trotting Free-For-All and NZ Trotting Championship at group one level.
Phil's Gift and Jasmyn's Gift are both by Sundon from Ilona Del, by Speedy Summit, the sire of the dam of Stylish Monarch (by Monarchy).
The 4yr-old Phil's Gift qualified at Oamaru on July 27, then won a trial at Ashburton.
"He had five attempts at qualifying last season but did things wrong," Tapper said. "I put half hopples on him and just recently a gauze mask on his face to stop grit off the track hitting him."
Phil's Gift was an $18,000 purchase at the premier yearling sale when offered by Clive and Rona McKay. They bought Ilona Del from Phil and Bev Williamson, who bred and raced Jasmyn's Gift.
Phil's Gift is raced by a South Canterbury group, Kim Tapper (brother of Murray), Mike Hynes, Peter Parker and Ray Scott.
Tapper said he was delighted with the progress of Stylish Monarch, who won a trial at Washdyke on Wednesday. Stylish Monarch has won 16 races including the Dominion Handicap. Tapper is planning to start him fresh in the Ordeal Cup at Addington.
• A new rule in harness racing was invoked last night when Glencoe V C ran inside the marker pegs at the 350m and retained first place.
Glencoe V C ducked in sharply and he was inside the marker pegs for several metres before he got back on his correct course and won by five lengths.
"I don't know if he spotted something or what happened," Brendon McLellan, his trainer-driver said.
Stipendiary steward in charge of the meeting, Chris Allison, exercised his discretion not to take any action against Glencoe V C under the new rule passed at the annual meeting of harness clubs on July 22.
Previously, any horse who ran inside the marker pegs for more than 30m in the final 600m would be disqualified. It was considered Glencoe V C had gone inside the markers for slightly less than 30m in any case.
• The meeting scheduled for Addington on Tuesday has been abandoned due to lack of entries.
