All week the harness racing pundits looking at tonights Great Northern Derby at Alexandra Park agreed about one thing and that was that Have Faith In Me would be crossed early and would end up back on the inner and need luck from there.
None of them however had asked his driver Tim Williams his opinion on weather Have Faith In Me would hold up from barrier one.
When we asked Tim earlier in the week for some comments for a preview we were doing on the Derby, Tim was adament that he would hold the lead from barrier one.
Tim said the addition of an undercheck had made Have Faith In Me a lot more tractable and he would only hand up to a horse he knew was a real chance to win the Derby.
And that is exactly how it panned out tonight.
The son of Bettor's Delight held the lead easily through the first 400 metres before handing up to his stablemate and hot favourite Follow The Stars shortly after.
From there the race was down to a two horse affair with Follow The Stars keeping up a smart tempo in front as Kept Under Wraps over raced badly in the death seat and in doing so parked Robbie Burns three wide for most of the last mile which stopped any other moves from back in the field.
Down the back straight Mark held Follow The Stars back to the field before letting him loose as they turned for home.
But Tim tracked him with Have Faith In Me and then came off his back at the 150 metres mark to lodge his challenge.
Slowly but surely he got up to Follow The Stars and nabbed him right on the line for a memorable victory.
Hughie Green who followed Have Faith In Me through from three back on the inner was third but five lengths behind the first two and Art Union went his usual honest race in fourth.
Have Faith In Me paced the 2700 metres in 3:18.7, a mile rate of 1:58.4 with closing sectionals of 56.6 and 27.4
Tim was not surprised that Have Faith In Me held the lead.
" He is getting better all the time and I thought I would be able to hold the lead with him."
"He is very competitive and wants to race horses early but is settling a lot better now."
"I got a lovely run after that following Follow The Stars and I came out on his outer because he is not a horse you want to fight with."
"It's better just to go with him," Tim said.
Tim was still having to pinch himself with the run he has had this season since joining the All Star barn last August.
" Twelve months ago I was living in Invercargill when Mark gave me a call."
"I thought a mate was having me on at first."
" It's all happened so quick but the last few months have been great, Tim said.
Have Faith In Me has now won the Sires Stakes Final, PGG Sales Race and the Great Northern Derby in the last few months and looms as the horse they all have to beat at Addington in the New Zealand Derby.
Harnesslink Media