By Michael Guerin
The Interdoms are set to become your typical party - the host does all the hard work and the guests have all the fun.
With the richest game in harness racing just five days from kickoff, the Kiwis have given an indication of things to come.
And as if Courage Under Fire and Christian Cullen weren't impressive enough in their Shepparton and Moonee Valley victories, the rest of the early New Zealand raiders got in on the act.
Auckland Cup winner Happy Asset equalled the 2540m Moonee Valley track record by winning Saturday night's discretionary handicap from 35m behind.
It was a stunning come-from-last continuation of trainer Tim Butt's magical summer, confirming Happy Asset is in career-best form.
Earlier, Happy Asset's driver Anthony Butt drew first blood at the carnival when London Express beat the best of a moderate local 3-year-old crop in a lead-up race to the Victoria Derby series.
The Cran Dalgety-trained London Express sat in the one-one before grabbing victory on the line.
The heats for the Derby will be run on Saturday with the classic on January 22.
Just 30 minutes after Holmes D G thrilled trainer-driver Barry Purdon with a gutsy second to Christian Cullen from a second line draw, stablemate Mountain Gold cruised to a comeback win in the night's feature trot.
Mountain Gold led throughout to beat Bonspiel Tui.
Also in that race was the outstanding French entry, Euro Ringeat (pronounced Ran-jar), who was making his Australian debut.
Euro Ringeat needed the run and fought on for fourth after being parked.
The only major Kiwi failure of the night was All Our Fella, who battled in seventh in the $A100,000 South Australian Cup.
That was won by Safe And Sound who smashed Our Sir Vancelot's track record in the process.
Racing: Early raiders count scalps
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