It says something about the sheer dominance of the age-grade ranks by the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen training team that four wins at the Harness Jewels was considered likely.
In fact, four wins was the favourite in a market set by the New Zealand TAB for the number of wins by the All Stars team on the day.
It should have come as no surprise though when the All Stars stable actually won five races on the day, with two quinellas and two trifectas to round things off.
Purdon's father, Roy, would have been sitting back at his home in Auckland with pride, as another son, Barry, won two races as well, making another big day on the New Zealand harness racing calendar a Purdon benefit.
... and prize money
The $500,000 or so won by the All Stars stable on Saturday took its season's earnings to more than $4.2 million. Let's get that in perspective. The stable has won 129 races from 430 starts this season - and bear in mind in some races such as Saturday's 3yr-old diamond, it had four runners line up and only one could win.
Second on the trainers' premiership is Cran Dalgety on 90 wins. By comparison, he has just edged over $1 million in earnings.
There isn't just a gap between Purdon and Rasmussen and the rest - there is a gaping chasm.
The question for every other trainer though is how to close that gap. Spend more at the sales?
That's no foolproof plan. Not only are the yearling sales somewhat of a roll of the dice, but Purdon, in particular, is spending smarter - often getting what he wants for $20,000-$35,000 rather than pushing six figures.
Ashvegas lays it on
Once again, the Ashburton Trotting Club has got it pretty much right for the Jewels.
The weather didn't really play ball this year - although at least it didn't rain bar for a few spots - but everything was in place and well organised.
I don't often expect to be fed when I'm at race meetings (shout-out to the Oamaru, Kurow, Roxburgh and Central Otago harness racing clubs for lining a journalist's stomach on regular occasions), but a steady delivery of food came forth to the media room.
Some of the other media had issues getting in to the stables with their media passes, but no such problems here. Must have been the scarf-tie combination
... Lazy Fiver
Maybe I should go for multi-bets with short favourites more often.
The three I suggested for a three-leg multi came through at the Harness Jewels on Saturday for around $3-$4 depending on when you put on the wager.
I do have a soft spot for Catkins, who takes on the fillies and mares in the Dane Ripper Stakes (race 4) at Doomben tomorrow.
