Newman secures first Group driving success in epic Methven Cup

Any fears cast earlier in the week of unsuitable Methven track conditions were emphatically dispelled with a gorgeous Sunday afternoon setting the scene for a big day of harness racing action at Mt Harding Raceway.

Despite receiving October snowfall for the first time since 1969 as late as Wednesday, the grass track surface came up trumps for the club’s feature race day on the calendar. 18 degrees and bright balmy sunshine greeted viewers from home while those in attendance appeared to be bask in all its glory.

Methven Cup Day has a steeped history in New Zealand harness racing traditions, acting as a key lead up to our greatest race for 95 years. The latest installment posed as one of the best editions of the Group Three feature with a close to capacity field of 16 greeting the starter, the most runners since Vi Et Animo won back in 2011.

Drawing the likes of 2020 New Zealand Cup Winner Self Assured (Bettor’s Delight) alongside genuine Group One performers Spankem (Bettor’s Delight) and South Coast Arden (Somebeachsomewhere) ensured the contest would be a spectacle worth the cost of admission alone.

But with plenty of other New Zealand Cup hopefuls in the mix looking to make their own claims, many felt over the extreme distance of 3000m, the 2022 Methven Cup would sort the Cup contenders from the pretenders.

The genuine handicap conditions gave hope to some of the aspirational types with the likes of the Kirsten Barclay trained McAndrew Aviator (Panspacificflight) backed into second favourite from his front-line position.

When the tapes were released in front of the large crowd lining the back straight fence, Cranbourne (Sir Lincoln) got it wrong for the second week running, extinguishing his chances of a Methven Cup crown defense.

South Coast Arden who was clearly unsettled by the tardy proceedings at the start and was again slow away in his first look at a grass track surface.

Getting things right early was Dashing Major who was soon joined up front by the Kirsten Barclay pair in McAndrew Aviator and Tommy Waterhouse (American Ideal).

The latter took over from its stablemate as the field went down the backstraight the first time and remained there for the majority of the staying test. Moves came a lap from home when the All-Stars pair of Spankem and Self Assured worked forward to apply pressure, but with the speed going on down the back, they were forced to work overtime.

Turning for home, Self Assured and Mark Purdon quickly gobbled up Tommy Waterhouse and booted clear by a couple of lengths from the chasing pack.

When Spankem was unable to quicken off Self Assured’s back, Smiffy’s Terror (Terror To Love) and Alta Wiseguy (Mach Three) mounted challenges down the outside of the track and in the finish, it was the son of Terror To Love who proved too strong for them.

New Brighton Cup winner, Alta Wiseguy was excellent to be a neck away in second, while Self Assured was gallant in third with the 30m handicap ultimately proving too much in the finish.

The win of Smiffy’s Terror provided junior reinsman Korbyn Newman with his first Group Race winning drive. The elation was clear to all as he proudly let rip with a few celebratory roars past the winning post.

Speaking with Nigel Armstrong of Harness Racing Unhinged post-race, Newman was somewhat lost for words.

“Unbelievably thrilled and just over the moon really. I was just thankful to get a drive on a nice horse like him and he didn’t disappoint,” said Newman.

“They are a good bunch of owners who were good enough to put me on and I’m rapt I could do the job for them.

“It was my first group race win so I’m rapt with that, I’m so happy,” he said.

The winning time of 3:50.3 off the 10m handicap was the second fastest Methven Cup since the distance changed to 3000m back in 2000, with only Spankem having gone faster when he won in 2020.

There were several notable performances in behind with the Brent & Time White trained Got You Covered desperately unlucky not to finish closer than fourth. The son of Art Major was pushing them over the line at the finish, as was Homebush Lad (Mach Three) and his pilot Ben Hope who weaved late for sixth.

Question marks will be asked of Spankem who felt the pinch from his back mark after working mid race, while South Coast Arden made virtually no impression after settling near the rear. It’s likely he didn’t enjoy the surface as his trainer/driver would have hoped.

SMIFFY’S TERROR REPLAY

The win of Smiffy’s Terror should all but assure his connections of a New Zealand Cup berth with the Group Three victory set to vault him up the rankings for which he came into the race on the outside looking in at 19th.

With Alta Wiseguy and Self Assured already guaranteed a start on the second Tuesday in November, connections of the rest will be eagerly anticipating the updated rankings, well aware that the Flying Stakes and Kaikoura Cups will be pivotal to their chances of a start.

The overnight victory of Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven) in the Victoria Cup has all but assured the connections of the lone Australian hope will be making travel arrangements to Christchurch for what promises to be an epic contest in our pinnacle Cup Week feature.

For complete Methven results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink