Spankem and Cruz Bromac’s brilliant final-round Interdominion heat wins have left Natalie Rasmussen with a tough call to make on which horse to drive in next week’s $A500,000 final.
Both pacers showed they have continued to thrive under the series’ gruelling format when winning untested at Cranbourne on Saturday night.
A decision on whom Rasmussen will drive in next weekend’s final, and which horse’s reins will be handed over to Mark Purdon, is not expected until tomorrow.
The barrier draw for the Interdominion pacing final will be conducted today.
The bad news for Spankem’s rivals is he should be even better by the time he gets to the final.Astonishingly, the 4yr-old has gained condition despite running three stunning races in the past seven days.
"We were getting him ready and seriously he has put on weight between runs," Rasmussen said.
"He was pretty well, probably too well out there."
Spankem cruised up the Cranbourne straight with Rasmussen barely asking the pacer for an effort.
It was a case of Spankem asking Rasmussen to be allowed to run earlier in the race.
"The horse was feeling so well he simply wanted to run when he got outside the early leader, Maximan.
"He just got a bit keen out there, that is why I think he is just a bit full of himself," Rasmussen said.
"So, I just let him stride; there is no point fighting with him."
It was game over once Spankem got to the front as he reeled off a sizzling 54.8sec last 800m.
It was a similar situation when Cruz Bromac won his final-round heat.
Once Rasmussen took the All Stars pacer to the lead she gave the rest of the field little hope of reeling him in.
Cruz Bromac went on to win the fastest heat on Saturday night in a 1.56.5-mile rate.
Pat’s Delight put in an excellent last-round effort when running second to Cruz Bromac.
The Cran Dalgety-trained 4yr-old tried hard to reel in the winner after sitting outside him late in the race.
Tiger Tara got back to his best by winning the second heat.
Saturday night’s placings sealed a perfect result for New Zealand’s small Interdominion pacing contingent.
New Zealand’s three horses were the top three qualifiers for the final. Cruz Bromac was the leading points scorer ahead of Spankem and Pat’s Delight.
In the final round of the trotters’ heats, a flapping hind bandage did not put Tornado Valley off his game.
The sight of the bandage waving around in the Andy Gath-trained trotter’s undercarriage gave punters who took his short odds nervous moments as Tornado Valley ran down the Cranbourne straight.
The star former New Zealander trotted faultlessly to the line to reinforce his status as the favourite for the final.
Speeding Spur won his round three heat comfortably, the John and Josh Dickie-trained trotter leading all of the way to win untested.
Trainer Phil Williamson’s pair of Monty Python and Alderbeck both ran respectable fifth placings in their heats, the former qualifying for next weekend’s final.
