Hope wins iconic feature

There are two trotting races Canterbury harness racing horseman Ben Hope has been hanging out to win, and when he won the $200,000 G1 Reharvest Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park tonight it became one down, one to go.

Hope secured the perfect trip with Mr Love (Love You) whom he also trains with his father Greg, trailing the pacemaker Hillbilly Blues.

“To step as well as he did was the winning of the race,” Ben said.

Without any mid race moves Hillbilly Blue took Mr Love all the way to the top of the straight, giving Hope two options – the passing lane or coming to the outside.

“I was just going with which direction he wanted to go. He let down really quickly.”

Mr Love had too much end of race speed and easily got past Hillbilly Blues. Oscar Bonavena in his last race night appearance powered home up the passing lane for second but was three and three quarters of the length from the winner. Hillbilly Blues was a nose back in third.

MR LOVE REPLAY

“I’ve had a few opportunities in the Rowe Cup and things haven’t gone right. After a few years of trying to win this is just surreal. I’ve been lucky enough to win some big ones with Muscle Mountain but never won one of the biggest ones. I consider the biggest ones the Dominion and the Rowe Cup so to tick of the Rowe Cup for Mum and Dad who own him. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink