Auckland, look out, there’s a Marcoola coming your way and he means business.
After some speculation early last week that a trip across the Cook Strait was unlikely, Auckland Trotting Club bosses got the news they wanted yesterday when connections of the outstanding squaregaiter confirmed that they would be making the trip.
It came after the four-year-old made far too lighter work of winning the Methven Green Mile for the trotters in the hands of usual pilot, Clint Ford.
Allowed to work the to the front at the 800 metre mark, it was curtains for everyone else from there as Marcoola ran along and cleared out to win by three and a quarter lengths in 1:59.7.
“He did that pretty comfortably really,” Ford said.
“We probably could have gone a wee bit quicker if we wanted to, but he was happy bowling along.”
The performance wasn’t without it’s scary moments for Ford though.
“He actually kind of slipped a couple of times out there.
“Once going into the back straight and then when we straightened up to run home.”
Marcoola will jump on the float on either Tuesday or Wednesday to head North.
“I’m looking forward to getting back up there with him.”
Tornado Valley, who is also Auckland bound, was a strong second in the Green Mile while Daryl Boko finished off strongly to run third.
Half an hour later, Jessica Young captured her second consecutive Methven Green Mile for the pacers when guided Franco Texas to success in the $17,999 event.
Young won the race last year with a bold front running drive on Quick As A Trick and it was a little ironic that it was the same horse who she followed throughout the one mile event before out-sprinting him up the straight this year.
Trainer Dean Taylor was full of praise for the young horsewoman.
“A very good drive from Jess, she summed it up perfectly.
“I thought he could probably run a place, so to actually win is a really nice surprise.”
Franco Texas is owned by the Herie Ford Syndicate and has now won five of his 29 career starts with close to $45,000 in the bank.
The win also took Taylor to 494 career training wins.
Quick As A Trick was a brave second after working hard from the outside barrier before setting up a 1:57.6 mile while Chase The Dream, who got left in no man’s land at the back of the field before booming home for third.
Matt Markham