Mr Love gets Group Three

So often the bridesmaid, yesterday Mr Love (Love You) stepped out of the shadow of his more illustrious stablemate Muscle Mountain to win the $40,000 Group Three Brendan Franks Farrier David Moss Stakes at Ascot Park.

“I think the handicap at the end probably told. It’s a windy blustery old day and it’s damn hard to pull them back if they get a length and a half on you. That’s been the pattern of the whole day really. The ones in front have just kept rolling,” said Greg Hope who trains the gelding in partnership with his son Ben.

MR LOVE REPLAY

Owned by Greg and his wife Nina, the win was Mr Love’s eleventh and his second Group Three feature win in just forty one starts.

“It was great for him to get a Group Three. It’s just disappointing they dropped the stakes to $40,000. Last year it was $50,000.”

At the end of the 2700 metre race Mr Love was half a length in front of Muscle Mountain with Hope’s third runner Midnight Dash three quarters of a length back in third.

“He’s got an amazing ticker. Of the three horses there today, when we take his recovery rate after he trains, his is always super. That’s why when it comes to two miles or any long distances he’ll just keep going and he’s got younger legs too which is a big thing.”

Hope says Mr Love is not a horse you can back up quickly.

“Definitely not. He’ll have a freshen now and won’t go to Auckland. We’re contemplating sending Muscle Mountain for the National Trot on the 31^st as long as he comes through today’s run. Mr Love will go on the backburner and probably won’t race until early Feb when there’s a couple of nice races at Addington. He’s a bugger to be tying up and that’s why he was very average by his standards on Show Day in the Free for All. He went massive in the Dominion to run second. For some reason Addington jars him up and he’s better if his races are spread apart.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink