‘The Mountain’ attempting to scale first G1 at Northern headquarters

New Zealand harness racing’s newly crowned king of the trotting ranks, Muscle Mountain (Muscle Hill) is at microscopic odds to add a fourth Group One to his glittering CV when he contests tonight’s $90,000 G1 National Trot at Alexandra Park.

The Greg and Nina Hope trained six-year-old was dominant in his resumption at the ‘ribbon of light’ last week, where he was far too strong for the best Open Class trotters in the country, winning the G2 Lyell Creek Stakes on his ear.

Using his customary gate speed, his regular pilot Ben Hope was able to dictate the tempo from the top before ripping home in 56.7 off the front, cruising to a comfortable three-and-a-quarter length victory.

The winning time was a sedate 2:44.0 which was set up by the fact the track was a hot mess after a solid downpour and none of the opposition were game enough to take the Hope trained and driven superstar on in front. His young junior driver fired back at critics of the performance.

“A few people have been given be a bit of slack that we haven’t been going much time but when Sundees Son and Bolt For Brilliance were there, we were running New Zealand records nearly every start. If they want to run a national record, we have proven we can but it’s not something we need to be chasing with a big season ahead,” he said.

It had been almost a calendar year to the day since Muscle Mountain and the Hope team had ventured north to northern headquarters and Hope was very complimentary of how his charge handled the right-handed track in his first look this campaign.

MUSCLE MOUNTAIN REPLAY

“It had been 12 months since I had last been there, so it was good to be back at ‘the park,’ and it was good to be winning. If anything, he probably trotted better there this time then he did last campaign, he handled the track really well.

“Mum and Dad have been up here with the horse at the Dickies and he’s getting all the attention he needs, and they are really happy with him which is all I need to know really,” he said.

Muscle Mountain has drawn very favourably for tonight’s tilt at his first North Island G1 success, coming up with the pole position from the mobile barrier and despite having the Australian raider drawn alongside him, it’s hard to see even a noted gate flyer having the speed to cross him if Hope pushes the button off the arm.

“It’s an interesting one, it’s obviously a good draw but with Zeus there next to us, it could be a bit cat and mouse. I am still making up my mind on tactics, but I think I will just play it by ear and see how the horse feels and what unfolds before me.

“If I want to lead, I think I can lead, and obviously he has gate speed but I am drawn inside him so we will have to wait until tonight to find out I suppose. If we get crossed, it’s definitely not game over. In my opinion, all things being equal I’m lucky enough to be behind the best trotter in the field, he’s proven that, and I am not going to panic,” he said.

Should Hope have to revert to a plan b, c or d, it’s hard to imagine any trotter in Australasia that is fit and healthy having the game to beat him on his merits and that is not to say there isn’t a great field assembled for tonight’s assignment.

Three of the other nine runners in tonight’s National Trot have won at Group One level, but very few have shown the capacity for what Muscle Mountain can do when he is right and it will take a herculean performance to see him get beat.

Another Hope trotter with a good chance in tonight’s trotting features is the three-year-old son of Father Patrick in Crown The Moment who will contest the NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3YO Trotters Final.

After getting carted back by the tiring horse sitting in the breeze, Crown The Moment was excellent in his Northern debut in less-than-ideal conditions getting within a few lengths of the winner and one of the favoured chances for tonight’s Listed feature in Halberg.

CROWN THE MOMENT | NORTH ISLAND DEBUT

“He’s a horse I actually have a bit of time for,” said Hope.

“His Mum won the National Trot herself and went a New Zealand record in doing so. He’s inherited a bit of the family ability, and I do like this fella. I think some of them might have a bit of ring craft on him, but I do think this horse has a bit of a future and Mum and Dad are happy with how hes been working but I wouldnt say he is the worst chance.

“The Northern Derby and the Sires Stakes are also on the radar while he is up in the North and it will be a great learning experience for him being his first trip away and he will come back a better horse for it.

“In saying that, I do think he will be a better horse come New Zealand Derby time in December, and time will be his friend, but at the same time he has the ability to be competitive in anything he contests in the short term,” he said.

For complete Alexandra Park race fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink