Volstead 3YO returns with a bang at Addington

Last season’s champion New Zealand harness racing juvenile trotting filly, Empire City (Volstead), announced her arrival back as a sophomore with an emphatic fresh-up victory tonight at Addington Raceway in the IRT Sires Stakes 3YO Trotters Prelude.

Having been unsighted in public since winning the Group One Ace Of Hearts on the same track in December, the first crop daughter of Volstead reminded everybody of her quality when coming from last at the 800m mark to round up a gallant Judy J (What The Hill) and Sheree Tomlinson.

It was a trademark Ricky May drive aboard the Phil Williamson trained trotter, timing his run from the back of the pack to perfection to win the 1980m affair by three-quarters of a length at the finish.

“I said to Phil she was a freakish two-year-old last year, and she has a lot to learn but she certainly has a motor. First up, no trials, it was a very good effort,” said May when talking to Nigel Armstrong’s Harness Racing Unhinged.

“Phil didn’t want to give her too hard of a run first up, but she felt good coming round the bend. I didn’t know if I would win it to be fair, and I felt if she ran a nice third I would be doing good,” he said.

Empire City found herself as the second elect in the betting behind her fellow New Zealand 2YO of the Year, albeit the male version, Tyron Eros (Majestic Son). He was an impressive winner fresh up a week ago against the older horses and was expected to be too strong for the eight horse field but after being forced to sit parked for the last lap, galloped when weakening under pressure.

EMPIRE CITY REPLAY

Despite not wanting to give his star filly a gut buster with larger assignments ahead, Williamson was confident in a strong showing and suggested as much to Harnesslink’s Bruce Stewart earlier in the week saying she would be hard to beat, despite the lack of race fitness.

“That was just how it panned out, I was happy with her and I thought we would use this like a race trial you could say. I’m not wishing to discredit the others horses, there are some really nice one sin there tonight but we came up her for a run and I’m sure she will improve off it.

“I don’t think she needed too much and with the numbers around at the moment, some of the trials haven’t been held so I didn’t want to travel her away. I’ve been pretty happy with her, she just has that wee bit of quality that steps her aside from a lot of horses.

“She is away to Auckland after this so she is going to fly up there on Monday and will race up there a few days later, and thats another Sires Stakes heat against Paramount Kiwi who has been the yardstick up there and it will be interested to see how she measures up to them,” he said.

It was the third win on end for Empire City who now fashions a record of five wins from seven starts with $118,338 in stakes to her name.

For complete Addington results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink