So the training genius will not raise an eyebrow if his mare completes one of the great comebacks in trotting history in tonight’s Rowe Cup.
The former Oaks winner has returned from the racing wilderness — nearly 22 months sidelined by injury — to win all five of her races this campaign, including last Friday’s Anzac Cup. So she heads to Alexandra Park tonight as favourite for Rowe and victory would secure her the valuable trotting mare of the year award. Nairn, whose old-school and often wide-ranging training techniques have brought him amazing results, admits the Habibti Ivy comeback has shocked him.
"When you bring them back after that long away, you don’t know what to expect," he said.
"But I definitely didn’t expect this. Not national records and group 1 wins.
"Especially last week. I was sure she was underdone heading into that race because she got tangled in a fence a few weeks ago and lost some skin off her legs.
"So to keep going and win when she probably wasn’t at her peak was a big performance.
"Really, with that in mind, you would have to think she would improve again and now I wouldn’t be surprised if she won."
Habibti Ivy may only be a 5yr-old with 14 starts on her slate but she has an ideal draw tonight and the manners to use it. Bordeaux was excellent with sixth after being wide in the Anzac Cup, while one of the more proven group 1 trotters in the race is Quite A Moment.
She was second to Monbet in this season’s national record-breaking Dominion over 3200m and then downed Bordeaux in the 2700m National Trot in December, so a true staying test should hold no fears for her.
Her co-trainer Greg Hope also expects another faultless performance from Enghien in tonight’s Northern Trotting Derby. President Roydon is the emerging threat in that age group.
The Rowe Cup is the highlight of a stunning night of racing at Alexandra Park that has superstar Lazarus on its undercard.
The 4yr-old looks certain to end his super season with a Messenger victory over his Purdon-Rasmussen stablemate, Waikiki Beach. The All Stars also look to dominate the $150,000 Sires’ Stakes Fillies. Elle Mac is the best of their trio but the worst drawn. That could bring Shenandoah, A Lister and star triallist New York Rain into play.
Also on the Alexandra Park undercard, Waikouaiti trainer Amber Hoffman will line up Break Dance in the North Island Breeders Stakes.
The 5yr-old was desperately unlucky in her first run of her northern campaign and will try tonight to turn that luck around in what will be her first standing start in 15 months.
Hoffman also lines up trotter Ygritte in tonight’s lower-grade trot, but her other northern-based trotter, King Denny, will not race at the meeting.
The former New Zealand 3yr-old trotter of the year is booked to fly to Australia on Wednesday to do his future racing across the Tasman.
— The New Zealand Herald/Additional reporting Jonny Turner
