Whereas she showed exceptional late speed to win her previous start at Oamaru (Kurow meeting) last week, she showed that same extreme speed from the gate to lead tonight.

She could have been excused for folding in the home stretch after being attacked in front but sprinted again along the passing lane after handing up to Asset Rich in the middle stages.

She then had to withstand the dour claim of Soky’s Gain who in no slug but was equal to the task.

Horses that can burn the candle at both ends are out of the top drawer and don’t let there be any doubt that this mare is headed for the top.

From whatever angle she is assessed, Georgy Girl is a class act from whom much more will be heard.

There would be few more exciting prospects in the lower classes and only bad luck will halt her in the next few weeks.

Although she only had a nose to spare, it was the outlined circumstances and the grim resolve she showed that earned her a high mark in a 2:00.1 mile rate.

Peter Jones, one of the greatest young drivers in New Zealand harness history, is perhaps better known for his prolific deeds with pacers, especially his long shot NZ Cup winner Borana and his late father Derek Jones’s champion Hands Down, another Cup winner.

But good horsemen are good horsemen with horses of either gait, nothing changes.

Jones has the makings of a talented trotter in Vatuvei who posted back to back wins when it bombed Neville Vaughan in the last stride of their trotting engagement.

Jones displayed remarkable coolness when the gelding was in tight quarters and extricated him from that situation and timed his finishing kick to absolute perfection.

Vatuvei hinted at its potential when he won his lead up assignment at Addington on 31 July.

Don WRIGHT