There was only one way Tiger Tara could improve on his last start and he has done it.
The Geoff Dunn trained pacer ran past Christen Me for his first win in open class company to win the Group II Canterbury Classic at Addington Raceway on Friday night.
He ran second to Christen Me last start. Tiger Tara's win was a fitting way for his driver Gerard O'Reilly to bring up his 500th career win.
Everything fell into place for O'Reilly and Tiger Tara as Christen Me stepped away from the tapes perfectly which gave the opportunity for O'Reilly to find the trail.
Christen Me, who closed off a $1.70 favourite, had no answer for Tiger Tara and the fresh up Smolda, who went a super race to finish second, in the long Addington straight after leading for most of the 2600m.
The Cran Dalgety trained Christen Me had excuses when finishing third after being pressured for the lead in the running.
The top three in the $40,000 event gained automatic qualification for the Group I New Zealand Trotting Cup, but with Tiger Tara, Smolda and Christen Me all essentially guaranteed a start, the likes Mossdale Conner, Bit Of A Legend and Delightful Dash should improve in the rankings after filling out the top six.
Meanwhile, last year's 2-year-old of the year Chase The Dream has picked off where he left off.
The All Stars stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen dominated the Sires Stakes heat for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
Chase The Dream came up the passing lane in the hands of Rasmussen after a charmed run in the trail to run past stablemate Cash N Flow.
Win number seven from just 10 starts for Chase The Dream came by a head over Cash N Flow with a mile rate of 1-58.7 and closing sectionals in 56.1 and 26.9.
The All Stars have more fire power to come in the series with Harness Jewels winner Lazarus and Motu Premier to start in the fifth and final heat at Addington on October 23.
Purdon confirmed after Chase The Dream's win that all three runners from Friday night are likely to contest the fifth heat.
John Dunn was excited about the prospects of Bite The Bullet who was the best of the non Purdon-Rasmussen team.
Trained by his father Robert, Bite The Bullet who was first up since July stuck on for third after a torrid run.
"He was sprinting from the 500m three wide so it was a great run. He came to the end of it near the end but he was entitled to after what he'd done," John Dunn said.
Mat Kermeen
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