Terror To Love led and ran the 2400m (mobile) in 2.56.1, the last 800m in 54.7 and 400 in 26.2.
His time compares with the New Zealand race record of 2.54.5 set by the 3yr-old Rider On The Storm.
The winner of six of his 11 starts this season, Terror To Love finished third to Sushi Sushi and Anvils Top Gun in the Great Northern Derby at his last start on March 11. It had been planned to race him at Gore last Sunday but the race was abandoned.
The $200,000 New Zealand Derby is at Addington on Saturday week.
Sonnetson and Zealous Lady continued their preparations for the Winton meeting on Sunday with wins at the Gore trials yesterday.
• Trainer Mark Purdon is now in Melbourne supervising Fly Like An Eagle and Mr Nickel, who are in heats of the Pacing Gold series at Melton tomorrow night. Purdon trained and drove I Can Doosit to win the Interdominion Final for trotters at Alexandra Park last Friday and he was successful with Hands Christian and Living The Dream at Menangle the following night.
They have remained in Sydney, along with Russley Rascal for further assignments.
Bettor Cover Lover has drawn three in the $A100,000 Victoria Oaks Final tomorrow night. She won her heat by 11.5m in a 1.59.2 mile rate for the 2240m (mobile) there last Friday.
Aussie Made Lombo (also by Bettors Delight) won the other heat by 4.5m in a 1.58.3 rate.
• The well-performed but unsound trotter Ray has joined the Waiuku stable of Michelle Wallis. Ray has won nine of his 23 starts from the West Melton stable of Tim Butt.
Ray won fresh up at Addington in August after 21 months away from racing. He has had problems with a knee and a hind suspensory ligament. His most recent race was in January.
Wallis won 17 races with Genius, the former Butt-trained trotter who also had soundness problems.
• Seel N Print, the former Canterbury pacer, led all the way to win the $A200,000 Western Australian Derby at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Seel N Print was placed three times in seven starts from the West Melton stable of Graham and Paul Court before being sold to clients of the Greg Bond stable in Perth in January.
The win was the biggest for junior driver Michael George.
Bond also trained the unplaced Ohokas Bondy who had won his previous 13 starts.
Seel N Print, a Falcon Seelster-Fine Print colt was bred by Terry McDonald, of Christchurch, his daughter, Janine McCann and son Tyson McDonald.
Seel N Print is the first foal of Fine Print (Go For Grins-OK Fine) who won two races for the breeders of Seel N Print.
Terry McDonald is the co-owner of Stunin Cullen, who is spelling. A virus, rather than a recurrence of a soft palate problem sidelined Stunin Cullen on the eve of the Interdominion.
He will not now undergo further surgery.
Ashburton Results:
Weather, fine; track, fast.
Qualifying test, pacers, 2400m: The Black B Kerr 1; Dollar Sign 2; Holly Morgan 3. Five started. 1 1/2L; 1L. Time, 3.08.6 (five qualified). Trainer, B Kerr.
Qualifying test, trottters, 2400m: Three Strangers P Court 1; Ranberg 2; Zoom By 3.
Four started. 3/4L; 1 1/2L. Time, 3.19.5 (two qualified). Trainers, G and P Court.
Qualifying test, pacers, mobile, 2400m: Winsome Midfrew J Dunn 1; Louie Louie 2; Ultimate Cullen 3. Three started. 17 1/2L; 95L. Time, 3.13.5 (none qualified).
Two-yr-old trotters, mobile, one mile: Stent C De Filippi 1; J D Spur 2; Another Love 3. Three started. 1L; 3 1/2L. Time, 2.02.3 (three qualified). Trainers, C and J De Filippi.
Two-yr-old c&g, mobile one mile: Christen Me B Orange 1; Western Cullen 2; Outta Sight 3. Five satrted. 1L; 3L. Time, 2.01.3 (five qualified). Trainers, M Purdon and G Payne.
Two-yr-old f, mobile, one mile: My Style G Payne 1; Brooke Brad Carolina 2; Madam Pom Pom 3. Eight started. 3/4L; 1/2L. Time, 2.01.2 (eight qualified). Trainers, M Purdon and G Payne.
0w pacers, mobile, 2400m (first heat): Enoughs Enuff J Dunn 1; Towney 2; Macks Blue Jean 3. Five started . 1L; 3L. Time, 3.03.8. Trainer, M Howard.
Second heat: Gumboots J Geddes 1; Gemma Kate 2; Paul Harnett's Creek 3.
Seven started. 1 1/4L; 1 1/4L. Time, 3.05.8.
Trainers, J and J Geddes.
Third heat: Surfin Cees J Douglas 1; Shudawudacuda 2; Waltzing Wendy 3. Eight started. Nk; hd. Time, 3.11. Trainer, J Douglas.
1w+ pacers, mobile, 2400m: Terror To Love J Curtin 1; Malak Uswaad 2; Major Mark 3. Seven started. 1 1/2L; 1/2L. Time, 2.56.1.
Trainers, G and P Court.
0w trotters, 2400m: Ignite M Edmonds 1; Under Exposed 2; Earl Of Dryden 3. Six started. 1/2L; 2L. Time, 3.16.8. Trainer, M Edmonds.
1w+ pacers, 2400m: Magical Mel fr B Orange 1; Four Starzzz Flash 10 2; Hannah 10 3. Six started. 3/4L; ns. Time, 3.06.3. Trainer, K Fairbairn.
Trotters, 2400m: Clover Don 20 C De Filippi 1; Lexie Highlander 10 2; Houdini Star 30 3. Ten started. 1 3/4L; hd. Time, 3.06.7.
Trainer, M Alfeld.
Gore Results:
Weather, fine; track, fast.
Two-year-old pacers, mobile, 2200m: Chief Kapai C Hannan 1; Benihana 2; Vicar Sivad 3. Three started. Lg nk, nse. Time, 2.52.3.
Trainer, A Paisley.
Qualfying test, pacers, mobile, 2200m: Discrimination T Barron 1; Lanz 2; I Need An Excuse 3. Four started. 3 1/2L, 4 1/2L.
Time, 2.50.8 (first three qualified). Trainer, T Barron.
Qualifying test, pacers, pacers, 2200m: Franco Campania R Swain 1; Gold Digga 2; Battle On 3. Three started. Nse, 1 1/2L. Time, 2.51.6 (three qualified). Trainer, K McRae.
Qualifying test, trotters, 2200m: Mississippi Dream D Gordon 1; My Crown Jewel 2. Two started. Hd. Time, 3.03.6 (first horse qualified). Trainer, D Gordon.
0w trotters, 2200m: Spiritual Bromac A Bloxham 1; Winfield Dougall 2; Justlookatmetrot 3. Four started. 1/2Hd. 8 1/2L. Time, 3.2.9. Trainer, A Paisley.
0w pacers, 2200m: Julii B Norman 1; Matai Prince 2; Chin Wag 3. Three started. Hd, 4L.
Time, 2.54.8. Trainer, B Norman.
1w+ pacers, 2200m: Sonnetsson 30 P Davis 1; Shapiro 2; Trojan 30 3. Three started.
1/2Nk, 4 1/2L. Time, 2.57.4. Trainer, M Nyhan.
1w+ trotters, 2200m: Zealous Lady 30 P Davis 1; John Henry Galleon 2; Look Now Bill 3. Three started. Hd, 1 1/2L.Time, 2.56.5.
Trainer, M Nyhan.
0w pacers, mobile, 2200m (first heat): Squeezemegently B McLellan 1; Sonjador 2; Jay Bees Joy 3. Five started. 1 1/4L, 3 1/2L.
Time, 2.50.7. Trainer, B Gibson-Smith.
Second heat: Heza Trick R Swain 1; Rakatup 2; Lively Hero 3. Five started. 1/2L, 1/2L. Time, 2.50.4. Trainer, B Campbell.
