Terror To Love consolidated his position as favourite for the New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 13 with a comfortable win fresh up in the New Brighton Cup free-for-all at Addington last night.
He gave driver Ricky May his fifth New Brighton Cup win.
May, who was driving Terror To Love in a race for the first time, has also won the New Brighton Cup with Baileys Dream (2007), The Tough Nut (2000) and Iraklis (1997-98).
Iraklis carried on to win the New Zealand Cup in 1997, the only New Brighton Cup winner to achieve the feat. May took over the drive on Terror To Love from Jim Curtin, who was committed to Franco Emirate. Curtin drove Terror To Love to win the NZ Cup last year. May is now in line to win the NZ Cup for a sixth time.
Terror To Love, who had not raced since June 2, settled sixth and finished boldly to win by three-quarters of a length from Mah Sish, who raced handy to pacemaker Ohoka Texas. The race was run in a moderate 3.13.1, the last 800 in 55.4.
• A fresh-up hoodoo and his first start on grass make 2012 Harness Horse of the Year I Can Doosit vulnerable in the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup at Motukarara tomorrow.
I Can Doosit, who has not raced since he won the Rowe Cup in May, has shaped well at trials for a second to Thanesan and a win at Ashburton. I Can Doosit, the backmarker on 25m, has yet to win fresh up in four attempts.
The Rowe Cup was his 12th win in a row. He won 13 of his 15 starts in New Zealand and Australia last season after finishing seventh fresh up.
Quality Invasion is a proven grass track performer in winning form. The winner of four of his eight starts on grass, he could make the most of a 15m advantage over I Can Doosit in the handicap. He won his last start at Addington fresh up on September 13. The win took on added merit when the runner-up, The Fiery Ginga, won at Oamaru in track record time three days later.
• Additional information for meetings today:
Auckland RC:Scratching: Race 8: Rio Nugget.
Weather, showery; track, dead (4); rail out 10m.
Taranaki RC:Scratching: Race 4: Urunga.
Weather, cloudy; track, good (3); rail true.
