By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Bruce Hutton believes there is a place for tracks like Manawatu Raceway in the racing calendar and he is trying to prove it.
The Canterbury trainer went to the Palmerston North track on Tuesday with three runners and went home with a win and a runner-up result.
Invisible Girl (Four Starzzz Shark) had been struggling to find form in Canterbury but was sent out a $1.30 favourite in the Haval @ Cartown Mobile Pace (2000m) and duly rewarded punters, running away to a dominant three length victory.
Hutton was just as pleased with stablemate Luminosityās runner-up effort in the Get Vaccinated Handicap Trot (2500m) after sitting parked.
āItās a different type of racing and it gives a different horse a chance to win,ā Hutton said.
āI know there are people out there saying we should be racing at Addington three days a week, but it will end up stereotype racing and the same horses will always end up winning.
āYou come up here and a horse that trots off the mark and does everything right gets money, and they donāt have the speed or ability at Addington.ā
Hutton was looking for a bold showing from Invisible Girl in weaker company on Tuesday and was satisfied his decision to bring her north paid off.
āIf she couldnāt win that we were in deep trouble,ā he said.
āShe hadnāt gone bad races at home but it just shows the necessity of places like Manawatu.
āHorses can get to the front and have a new lease on life.
āWe have been having no luck at home, she keeps drawing bad in the poor races or good in the better races and gets back three back the fence and runs on for seventh of eighth and gets no money.
āWhereas she comes here and she has managed to dominate.ā
The broodmare paddock is beckoning both mares and Hutton said his Manawatu trip is a good opportunity to extend their records.
āI have come to Manawatu a lot over the years. I havenāt been here for a while just because I didnāt have the right horses, but this is a great spot for the right horses,ā he said.
āThese two mares are on their swansong and if we can bank some more money and put more wins on the card for them thatās great.
āLuminosity has been served by Majestic Son and Invisible Girl is going to Downbytheseaside.ā