The prestigious Hannon Memorial at Oamaru tomorrow is shaping up to be a duel between two top class pacers - the up-and-coming The Tough Nut and old campaigner Happy Asset.
Both go into the Hannon with big reputations.
Happy Asset is the winner of more than $726,700 in stakes, an Auckland Cup winner and a third placegetter in this year's Interdominion.
The Tough Nut has proved to be hard to crack and keeps on improving.
The pair met at Addington last Friday under the same free-for-all conditions as tomorrow's race.
The Tough Nut won the 2600m mobile race in the impressive time of three minutes 14.7 seconds, by a length from another Hannon contender, Kym's Girl. Happy Asset was a neck away third.
The Tough Nut had not raced since May 12 before last Friday's win and his effort to beat a top line-up at Addington bodes well for a successful season.
Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan said he was hoping The Tough Nut would go another nice race on Sunday.
"Hopefully he's getting better towards the New Zealand Cup," he said.
"He's very bright in himself."
Happy Asset was also resuming at Addington, having not started since April 22. West Melton trainer Tim Butt is convinced last Friday's run will have sharpened up the Transport Chip eight-year-old.
"He's improved with that run," Butt said.
"He's a real good doing horse and it takes a bit of racing to get him right.
"The Hannon is a time-honoured race and we'd love to win it."
While The Tough Nut and Happy Asset look the class acts of the 10-horse field, the talented mares Kym's Girl, Chloe Hanover and Under Cover Lover have drawn the first three marbles respectively, and any one of them is capable of winning.
- NZPA
Harness racing: Hannon shapes as duel between top pacers
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.