No Matter Wat dances her way to Breeders win

She put in a few fancy steps but harness racing mare No Matter Wat (A Rocknroll Dance) was good enough to hang on and win the $20,000 Canterbury Standardbred Breeders Stakes at Addington tonight (Mar. 31).

The Mark and Nathan Purdon trained four year old has for most of her short career, been a bit tricky in the gait department but driver Olivia Thornley who does most of the work with the horse knows her well.

From gate four Thornley went out looking early with Kikorangi Blue (Betterthancheddar) having similar ideas. Once Kirkorangi Blue got to the top, driver Colin DeFilippi was happy to hand up and from there Thornley rolled out a solid tempo and turning in, looked to be travelling well. Halfway down the straight No Matter Wat started putting in some short steps similar to when she won the New Zealand Oaks in December. Thornley had to nurse her through the last fifty metres and the mare hung on to win by half a neck. The winning time was 2-23.6 (1-56.6 mile rate).

“I thought after her last start she might have ironed them out (short steps). I see she had a couple of marks on both of her front feet and she may have cross fired a bit. Hopefully it’s something small and a quick fix,” co-trainer Nathan Purdon said. 

He added that No Matter Wat has another race on her schedule at Addington before she will head to Auckland.

NO MATTER WAT REPLAY

It was a good night for the Purdon stable, also winning with Final Collect (Art Major), Fortify (Bettor’s Delight), Bollinger (Bettor’s Delight) and two year old Vessem (Vincent).

Meanwhile Ohoka Connor’s (Sunshine Beach) star continues to shine with the towering three year old pacer taking the length of the straight to overpower a game pacemaker Coney Island Lou, (Sweet Lou) and winning his fourth race in a row.

“A credit to the second horse. I was really pleased when he picked the other horse up on the line. They don’t go much quicker sectionals,” driver Tim Williams told Nigel Armstrong from Harness Unhinged.

The winning time of 2-23.2 was excellent considering the time of year. The New Zealand record of    2-19.0 for three year olds was set by Ultimate Sniper at New Zealand Cup week in 2018.

The two horses are expected to face one another again in a heat of the Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes either at Wyndham this Thursday or a week later at Winton. The final of the series will be run on Diamonds Day on Sunday 23rd April.

Williams says Ohoka Connor will be turned out for a spell after the Supremacy Final.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink