‘Dobby’ fires epic warning shot as trans tasman rivalry looms

Muscle Mountain (Muscle Hill) fired a significant warning shot across the Tasman tonight at Addington Raceway with harness racing’s inaugural TAB Trot Slot less than a month away.

His co-trainer Greg Hope told Harnesslink followers on Thursday that he was happy with the superstar son of Muscle Hill’s work ahead of tonight’s resumption in the Group Three Lamb & Hayward Classic, but conceded the seven-year-old gelding was on the fat side and would improve with the run.

Punters appeared to agree with his assessment as Muscle Mountain’s opening quote of $2 lengthened out to $2.50 as the field of six stood behind the tapes at the start.

A little over two minutes later his quote for the $575,000 feature at Cambridge had been slashed from $5 to $3.50. Take the money while it’s still there.

The big strapping lad they call ‘Dobby’ was back and announced his comeback in grand style with a convincing repeat success in the race he captured 12 months ago, withstanding a late challenge from stablemate Midnight Dash to take out tonight’s $40,000 feature.

“It’s awesome, my heart was beating out of its chest. You always worry about them in their first run back. And I’m so proud of wee Dash too,” said an elated Nina Hope to Harness Racing Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong after the race.

Her husband and co-trainer Greg was looking like a cat who got the cream at the sight of his superstar strutting into the Addington birdcage.

“You can never be too confident with the picket line Oscar had going into tonight, but we were pretty confident our guy was as good as him. Obviously he must not be quite right to give it away that quick. But we couldn’t be happier, and obviously Midnight Dash who should get a slot on that performance,” said Greg.

Oscar Bonavena who was coming into the race as the heavy favourite on the back of six successive victories and with race fitness on his side was incredibly disappointing after getting a soft time of things in front, dropping out to finish last in the run home.

Commentator Matthew Cross duly noted the eight-year-old had pulled from about the 1200m. But given the slow tempo and sectionals he got away with, punters who backed him were entitled to think he would have finished the race off better nonetheless and the stipes report later this evening may paint a clearer picture as to what went wrong.

Greg Hope and his son Ben weren’t worried about the stand which had tripped up the budding champion in a fresh start before, and he proved them correct, quickly getting into a brilliant tempo and settling on the back of Oscar Bonavena early. The latter electing to waltz round the field and take the top off from the pace setting Maui and David McCormick.

With no moves forthcoming, Ben Hope elected to let his charge roll forward at the winning post the final time to get up handy to the speed and when the burn went on, he dropped Oscar Bonavena with a right hand that the boxer himself would have been proud of.

Midnight Dash rallied well to run his stablemate who was tiring late to half a length at the finish, much to the delight of Hope who indicated the freshen up had done wonders for the confidence of the diminutive son of Muscle Hill.

Mystic Max wound up late to nab third place from the four-year-old mare, High Energy, who did everything well in behind and was unfortunate not to pick up some black type in her first look at the Open Class ranks.

MUSCLE MOUNTAIN REPLAY

The official winning time was trimmed down to 3:17.9 for the 2600m accounting for the 30m back mark of Muscle Mountain with the last half run in 56.1 and the final quarter in 27.8. The overall mile rate was a sedate 2:02.4, reflective of the slow early tempo.

“It’s good to have him back and he went as good as he looked,’ said reinsman Ben Hope on his way back to the IRT stables.

“He has come back really good since his break, he doesn’t have to drive him behind a screen anymore and on his jog days he usually gives him a jod down the beach which in the past you would never be able to do because he would get too keen. On that outlook, it bodes well given we will be able to get more work into him in the future.

“He is a superstar, and in my eyes is the benchmark and I think tonight he proved it. I’m looking forward to taking on Oscar again and those two Aussies. We will give them something to think about if we get a good draw anyway,” he said.

As ominous as it sounds, the reality is on the fresh up performance of Muscle Mountain tonight, the only horse capable of beating him in the Group One Fred Shaw in a fortnight is most likely himself.

Welcome back, champ!

For complete Addington results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink