That's not because the Dream Away gelding lacks talent. He's just got plastic-like legs and as Phelan puts it: they could go tomorrow.

"Let's just say they haven't got any better than when he last won here a fortnight ago. We still have to nurse him along a bit. But tonight he won very easily. The softer track suited his legs down to the ground. He won like a good horse tonight, and legs aside he is a very nice pacer," Phelan said.

Both Phelan and Purdon have long said Big Dog is potentially the best pacer at their Clevedon stable but because of his unsoundness, he as they put it: is "merely a day to day proposition".

Asked if Big Dog had enough ability to race in a New Zealand Cup field, Phelan replied:

"Potentially yes, but you just never know with those legs of his. He's never really gotten over his injury problems he suffered as a youngster. He's nice to drive when he wins like this though," Phelan said.

Big Dog simply ran his opposition off their feet pacing the 2700m standing start event for four-to-seven-win pacers in 3:31.2 (mile rate: 2:05.8). The $1.80 favourite sprinted his final 800m and 400m sectionals in 57.4 and 27.6 seconds. Franco Endure (Brent Mangos) and Fight Fire With Fire (Mark Purdon) were two lengths and two lengths back in second and third.

In an injury-plagued career spanning back to April 2006, Top Dog has now won eight of his 19 starts and placed in five others for $134,942 in career stakes.

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If Top Dog relished the softer conditions at Alexandra Park tonight then the Sue Martin trained and Peter Ferguson driven Family Spirit loved them. In fact Martin was so confident the 5-year-old Il Vicolo gelding would win she labeled him a near certainty tonight.

"The conditions were perfect for him and he's a hard horse to catch when in front. He only needs a good draw and he's always going to be a chance," Martin said.

Family Spirit drew six tonight and led all the way in the 2200m mobile for two-to-three-win pacers. His time of 2:45.4 recorded the quickest mile rate of the night of 2:00.9. Final sectionals - 800m: 57.1 seconds and 400m: 27.8 seconds.

Even though Pakiri Beach has been atrocious this year Martin has been able to train her team there sparingly.

"It's not easy because sometimes I can only work them once or twice a week but I just knew this fella was ready tonight. You can tell by the way he went he loved the conditions," Martin said.

"He will continue to compete in races like this throughout the winter and he will be a chance again if he can cop a good draw," she added.

Dubbed the "sparring partner" of above average stablemate Gotta Go Cullect, Family Spirit has now won four of his 27 starts and placed in three others for $26,973 in stakes.

Results from the Thames Harness Racing Club's meeting at Alexandra Park tonight (Friday) were:

Race 1: The Tony Grayling trained and driven Easys Dream.

Race 2: The Richard Brosnan trained and driven Baltic Warrior.

Race 3: The Richard Brosnan trained and driven Sunny's Bar.

Race 4: The Shane Smith trained Kahuna Bromac (Frank Cooney).

Race 5: The Kevin Judson trained Day In Calcutta (Hayden Cullen).

Race 6: The Sue Martin trained Family Spirit (Peter Ferguson).

Race 7: The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained Big Dog (Scott Phelan).

Race 8: The Wayne Thomas trained Titian Sun (Nicky Chilcott).

Race 9: The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained Raven Aveross (Scott Phelan).

Race 10: The Tony Herlihy trained and driven Tex Bromac.

Race 11: The Steven Reid and Graeme Rogerson trained Hoof It (Steven Reid).

Extensive results.

Duane RANGER (editor)