All the pundits (us included) thought that High Gait had a mountain to climb in the Lone Star Riccarton $60,000 New Zealand Sires Stakes Final for two year old trotters at last nights harness racing meeting at Addington.
The unbeaten daughter of Muscles Yankee had drawn the inside of the second row behind Dark Ops, a hundred to one shot while her major opposition Gershwin had drawn perfectly at barrier two on the front line.
All that changed as they reached the starting point when Dark Ops galloped in the slushy conditions as did Gershwin with High Gait and Natalie Rasmussen managing to duck both of them somehow.
However as a result High Gait settled last of the pack as Arannalea and Mark Jones set a steady tempo in front.
Still last at the 500 metres. Natalie sent High Gait around them four and five wide as they turned in and then just picked the leaders up like she had just joined in,
It was a brilliant performance in the conditions and confirmed High Gait as New Zealand's leading two year old trotter this season.
High Gait's stablemate Missandei held second after a big sweeping run for Mark Purdon with the pacemaking Arannalea holding on for third.
High Gait trotted the 1950 metres in the atrocious conditions in 2:32.5 with closing sectionals of 62 and 29.3
Natalie was full of admiration for the daughter of Muscles Yankee.
" She has gone absolutely super to come from that far back"
" I don't know how we missed the early carnage, it felt as if I was going sideways."
" She is such a determined wee thing, you have to admire her," Natalie said
If there were any doubts about the top dog status amongst the two year old trotters this season, that was well and truly settled last night.
Harnesslink Media