Harness racing driver Natalie Rasmussen has got up off the canvas like a prizefighter to win the Methven Cup.
All looked rosy when Messini and Rasmussen won the Group III event, in the Art Major entire's first start back in New Zealand after campaigning in Australia with former Canterbury trainer Brent Lilley.
But earlier in the day Rasmussen was smashed onto the track in race six after her drive Emmanuel appeared to slip just after the field he rounded the home bend.
In a nasty crash, Gabby's Star, Maximus Prime, Stoney Eyre were all brought down.
Drivers Robbie Holmes, Bob Butt and Rasmussen all escaped serious injury but Sam Ottley was airlifted to hospital after suffering moderate spinal injuries.
She was to have x-rays on Sunday night.
All horses involved are understood to have escaped serious injury.
Rasmussen, who co-trains Australasia's leading harness racing stable with Mark Purdon, said she was a bit "battered and bruised" but it was going to take more than a few scrapes and cuts to keep the gritty Australian out of the sulky.
The win does not give Messini automatic entry to the New Zealand Trotting Cup but it almost certainly assures his spot and Rasmussen said that takes some pressure off.
"If he didn't go any good today we might have had to go to Ashburton just to try and get him a start and I think that would have been a bit soon for him to back up," Rasmussen said.
Messini went into the race ranked 18th for the cup and although he did not upset any super stars he did beat four runners ranked ahead of him and with further defections from the top 15 likely he should be joining All Stars stablemate Smolda in the cup.
Messini's next start will likely be the Kaikoura Cup
Rasmussen and Purdon were expecting a bold run given Messini's quality horse but his driver puts the win down to getting such a good trip.
It was a typically patient and calculated drive from Rasmussen who was happy to settle well back in the running line after starting from the 30m tape.
But everything fell into place when Ideal Success made a three wide move with around 1000m to run and Rasmussen was able to jump on board the train behind Te Kawau.
"It really helped that we didn't have to come out until very late, he hasn't had to do any work in the running," she said.
Messini tired in the final stages to shrink his winning margin to half a length but he can be forgiven in his fresh up run over 3000m on the grass.
"I think he'll definitely improve off the run," Rasmussen said.
Methven was Messini's first run since the Breeders Crown on August 30.
Messini paced the trip in 3-51.7 with a mile rate of 2-04.2 and closing sectionals of 58.0 and 29.5.
Quick As A Trick put in a super run for second after being slow away from the tapes with No Doctor Needed, Mighty Flying Mac and Te Kawau filling out the top five.
Cup hopefuls Belkmyster, Mach's Gladiator, Ideal Success and Lewy Risk did their chances more harm than good when finishing back in the field.
Mat Kermeen
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