Golden Gait treble for Donnelly

Arna Donnelly had never won a $100,000 race before Friday night: now she has won three.

And after her treble on the inaugural Golden Gait night at Alexandra Park she has her eyes set on even bigger targets.

The popular Waikato trainer captured a treble with three very different types of horses the first being Chase Me (Downbytheseaside) who capped a wonderful debut season with an impressive win in the TAB Golden Gait 2YO Mobile Pace.

“He is a really promising horse and what makes it even better is I own most of him,” says Donnelly.

“I was underbidder on him at the sales but bought him later and he peaked at just the right time tonight.

“I think he is a Derby horse so that will be his next aim if he stays, but we have a few people chasing him.”

The feature pace of the night, the TAB Golden Gait Aged R63 – R99 Mobile Pace, saw Donnelly train first and third with Jolimont sitting parked to win while Kango was a huge third.

But it may be that Jolimont is now the stable star has he has stepped up to be a genuine open class force which will now be tested further in the Auckland Cup.

“He has really come of age and he is up to that level now.”

But at the other end of the scale comes Rough And Ready, who won this lower grade aged pace at start number 119 and just two weeks before he turns eight.

“He has been such a lovely old horse and raced everywhere including in Australia where he never settled in but his owners were so good about bringing him back over here.

“So to see a horse like him get his big win tonight was very satisfying.

“It has been a special night for us and I couldn’t do it without the support from my owners and all the staff who work so hard .. it is a huge team effort.”

The night’s other pacing feature was taken out in no-fuss fashion by Duchess Megxit, capping off an amazing month in which she won the NZ Oaks, Queen Of Hearts and now the three-year-old Golden Gait.

She had to work a bit early to get the lead but was always going to be too fast after that and ends a excellent year in which she has stamped herself one of the great three-year-old fillies, particularly when racing at home.

She was one of three winners on the night for driver Zachary Butcher, joining fellow driver Crystal Hackett and trainers Donnelly and Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett as three-time winners on a hugely successful first running of the Golden Gait concept.

For complete race results, click here

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand