Big guns ready to fire in Trotters Flying Sprint

Muscle Mountain (Muscle Hill), sprint distance specialist Majestic Man (Majestic Son), and the up and coming four year old Aardiebythehill (Muscle Hill) look to be the best three chances in the Trotters Flying Sprint (1700 metres) at harness racing’s ‘Magic Monday’ at Ashburton on Monday (Oct. 24).

Muscle Mountain won the feature last season, beating Majestic Man by half a length while Majestic Man won the race in 2020. Aardiebythehill has won twice and been placed twice in his four starts in the South Island, so he’s in good form.

All three raced at Addington last Friday with mixed results.

Muscle Mountain was all power, winning and breaking the New Zealand record for 2600 metres.

Majestic Man reared at the start losing all chance in the same race. And in a lower grade trot Aardiebythehill ran a very close second to Master Lavros.

“He (Aardiebythehill) was the one that we had targeted this race for. He’s in great nick and we were thrilled with his run at Addington. We just have to put the boring poll back on the outside. He was running in a little too much with it on and now he’s running out a little too much with it off,” co-trainer Robert Dunn said.

Muscle Mountain and Majestic Man have excellent short distance records. Muscle Mountain holds the New Zealand record of 1-59.6 for the 1700 metre mobile.

The time was recorded in the same race last year. Majestic Man has won three Group One races in Australia – one over 1609 metres and two over 2240 metres.

Majestic Man draws gate four in the 1700 metre mobile feature on Monday and trainer Phil Williamson is happy with progress.

“Last week was just a ‘forget race’. He had a pretty nice workout running some good sectionals. He did his last mile and a half in about three minutes on Stridemaster, and his last half was the fastest in the race. He’s got a nice draw so he’ll be hard to beat,” Williamson said.

Muscle Mountain has also pleased co-trainer Greg Hope.

“He’s come through the run really well and we’re really happy with him. Last year he sat outside Majestic Man and beat him. If Majestic Man wants to give us the front or not, we’ll wait and see but he’ll be able to sit outside the other horse. Hopefully we can get to the front, but I’ll leave it up to Ben,” Hope said.

The Hopes also have Enghien in the race and he’ll trot out of gate two.

“He should really appreciate the sprint distance. He’s got a really good record over the 1980 metre distance at Addington. He’ll hold his own out of the gate.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink