Stuart and Close deliver upsets at big odds

Andrew Stuart and Robbie Close were the kings of the giant killers at Addington on Friday.

The trainer and driver combined to win two races at a best fixed odds double price of 275-1 as Moonlite Blood and Here Comes Marty downed their more favoured rivals to give Stuart a hard to come by Friday night double.

It was the theme of the night as smaller stables won most of the races, the exception being Team Telfer who trained a double to move to 101 wins for the season.

But around them it was Margo Nyhan, Bruce Negus, Jonny Cox, Kevin Fairburn, Ross Houghton and Kyle Cameron training the winners, with Cameron’s super impressive What The Dragon the only favourite to win for the entire Winter Rewards racenight.

It was Stuart who took the honours though as Moonlite Blood paced a 1:56.6 mile rate to remain unbeaten this campaign beating a Dalgety and a Telfer horse.

“He is a really nice horse and hasn’t finished yet,” says Stuart, who usually only has 20 or less horses in work.

“Everybody knows it was a special win for us here last time but winning on a Friday night is a decent field is a level higher again.

“He has a great group of owners, including blokes like Wheels (legendary galloping trainer John Wheeler) and Carey Hobbs (former chief executive Taranaki Racing) and they are having a whale of a time.

“One guy has been in horses his whole adult life and said that was the biggest buzz he had ever had.”

Stuart’s second winner Here Comes Marty snuck through the passing lane to win in a blanket finish and earned himself a short spell.

HERE COMES MARTY REPLAY

“Even though he won he is better than that and I think he should have won easier so he can have a break.”

Stuart and Close weren’t the only double winners to taunt punters as Sheree Tomlinson got her drives on Mouton Cadet ($14) and Got You Covered ($7) spot on to score a back to back driving double.

Got You Covered used early manners and late toughness to wear down hot favourite Slots in the main handicap pace, his first win since joining Kevin Fairbairn three starts ago.

Almighty won his Winter Rewards Trot for Cox and owner/breeder Jenny Butt while Kotare Rimu continued a great start to the juvenile season for Houghton with Bronson Munro doing the driving.
But the win that will stick in the mind the longest and probably be repeated the most was that of What The Dragon, who trailed and sprinted like a trotter who is going to be a force in summer and not just getting winter rewards for trainer Kyle Cameron.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand