My Kiwi Mate’s second in the Messenger Pace on Friday has earned him a shot at an even richer target.
The Victorian-trained pacer has won the Australian invite to the $150,000 male four-year-old division of the Harness Jewels at Cambridge on June 4.
Trainer Craig Demmler has accepted the invite from Harness Racing New Zealand and My Kiwi Mate will now remain in New Zealand, stabled with Barry Purdon until the giant group one day.
My Kiwi Mate joins Arms Of An Angel and Heza Bromac as confirmed Australian invites for the Jewels and can be expected to open second favourite behind Field Marshal for his division when that market is released this week.
The rangy gelding was formerly trained in New Zealand by Brian Hughes but was sold to clients of the Demmler stable as a late three-year-old, going on to finish second in the Queensland Derby.
He has had a limited four-year-old campaign and was a strong fifth after sitting parked in the Taylor Mile two starts ago.
He then came from well back to finish second to Field Marshal in the Messenger on Friday.
Most importantly he has show good gate speed in some of his Australian races so with a good draw could be a major threat around Cambridge.
Harness Racing New Zealand has been looking very strongly at the recent three and four-year-old trotting races in Australia, with the potential for invites in those divisions this week.
Courtesy of Michael Guerin