Meteor lands cup at the Mot

Steve and Amanda Telfer’s pacer Alta Meteor (Art Major) impressively won the Paul Renwick Joinery Motukarara Christmas Cup at the Banks Peninsula harness racing meeting today (Dec. 29).

Starting off twenty metres, driver Tim Williams had the three year old placed midfield early before taking him around to sit parked outside Dashing Major. Coming into the straight Alta Meteor let down nicely and won with his ears pricked by one and three quarter lengths.

“He looked to do the job well. His last start was in the Derby, and he went very well running fifth, coming from a long way back. It was four good horses that beat him home. The team down south were very pleased with his training in the last few weeks and quite confident he’d go well,” co-trainer Steve Telfer said.

Today was the first time Alta Meteor has started on grass.

“He can be a bit of a goofy bugger and looks at things, like he was in the warmup. Apart from that he’s a very good gaiter and light on his feet so we didn’t think the grass would worry him.”

Today was the gelding’s seventh win in just twenty two starts.

“A lot of the races he’s been in have been against the very best. He ran third in the two year old Sires Stakes Final after sitting parked. He went to Sydney for the Derby and won his heat before running down the track in the final. He’s at a rating where he’s got a good advantage, so we’ll race him in Country Cups races. He’ll go to Nelson in a couple of weeks time for the Nelson Cup and may stay on and race at Blenheim.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink