Racing: Forgotten horse of series makes a definite impression

It takes a lot to surprise champion reinsman Tony Herlihy on a racetrack but Allegro Agitato managed it last night.

The forgotten horse of the Interdominion trotting series thrashed defending champion Sumthingaboutmaori and champion Lyell Creek in the first heat of the trotting series at Alexandra Park.

She did it by sitting parked for the last 1200m, taking the race to Lyell Creek, producing one of the most stunning trotting performances of the series.

That left even Herlihy shaking his head.

"That is the best she has gone since I started driving her," said New Zealand's most successful ever driver.

"She has always been a good mare but you don't sit parked outside Lyell Creek and beat him every day of the week.

"She actually took charge down the back straight because she was so fresh she got all stirred up but she was good enough to stick at it."

The win was a return to the form Allegro Agitato showed at the start of the season when she won fresh-up before setting a national record pace in the New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All at Addington in November.

It seemed to take her most of the summer to recover from that race, witha break after Christmas racing doing wonders for her.

While the win makes her one of the favourites for the series Herlihy, who has been the caretaker trainer of the mare for the last two months, did have a word of warning for punters.

"Even though she won so well it wasn't an ideal race to start to the series because it might have taken a bit out of her.

"We will see how she comes through it but at least she has some big points to take into the latter nights."

While beaten on Sumthingaboutmaori, her driver Gavin Lang, was far from disappointed with the mare's second.

"She lost contact with them on the top bend and that cost her a winning chance," said Lang.

"But she found the line well so it was a very sound start to the carnival."

Some of Lyell Creek's fans may have been disappointed by his failure to hold out the two great mares in the home straight but driver Anthony Butt was far from concerned.

"To be honest I wasn't that sure about leading on him because he was coming into this a bit fresh.

"So I think he will improve for Tuesday and right through the series. But I am not taking anything away from the winner. She went super."

There was also enough to like about the performances of horses like Pompallier and Glenbogle to suugest they could win a heat when they draw the front line but they are still clearly a level below the series favourites.