Maurice in raptures over The Orange Agent

You had to feel really sorry for Harness Racing Waikato at Cambridge Raceway last night as their big night of the year was ruined by atrocious weather conditions.

With some great fields carded throughout the night, the club had the potential to have  a huge night  but were thwarted to a big extent by heavy rain throughout the day.

The $57,500 Waikato Flying Mile drew a really strong field even after a few scratchings but what seemed a very competitive race beforehand was turned into a procession soon after the start when the freakish mare The Orange Agent strode to the front and from then on completely dominated the contest.

With driver Maurice McKendry merely lifting the reins in the home straight, The Orange Agent just ran away and hid by over three lengths in a smart time for the conditions of 1:56.3 with brilliant sectionals of 55.8 and 26.9 on the slushy track.

Ohoka Punter looked more like his old self working home late for second in front of a game Franco Nelson who burnt the gate early

Maurice couldn't contain his appreciation of the mares run post race.

" She went super at the workouts last weekend and even better tonight.

" Being wider on the track early helped her find the front in those conditions, but once there she was just absolutely jogging the rest of the race."

" It was very heavy down on the inner but the track conditions didn't seem to affect her at all."

" She was just doing it so easy on the corner I couldn't believe it," Maurice said.

While trips across the Tasman have been mooted in some quarters this week, it now appears that The Orange Agent will stay closer to home at least in the short term.

" This mare has never stopped improving from the day she started racing and I don't think she has stopped yet."

"Patience is a virtue in this game and I think this mare has a huge future in front of her if we take our time with her," Maurice said.

While a lot of Australian trainers will be glad to hear that The Orange Agent is not crossing the Tasman, a lot of New Zealand clubs will be just as thrilled to have this brilliant daughter of American Ideal racing at home.

Harnesslink Media