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Monkey King had the crowd roaring as he defended his New Zealand Trotting Cup crown and took his stake earnings past the $3 million mark at Addington, Christchurch, today.
In a dramatic race, Monkey King overcame his starting start bogy to begin brilliantly, but had to prove his toughness and durability in making his move to sit outside the ironhorse Australian visitor Smoken Up for the last 1000m of the race, despite being pushed out four wide on the way and copping a bump on the way.
The crowd roared then but was thunderous when driver Ricky May asked him to sprint at the top of the straight and he surged ahead to win by a comfortable 1-1/2 lengths from a brave Smoken Up, who lost vital ground through scrambling away at the start before Lance Justice revved him up to take the lead. Sleepy Tripp took third of Power Of Tara, while favourite Stunin Cullen faded out to seventh after he also began untidily.
It was May's fifth win in the Cup, which was this year worth $750,000. He won on Inky Lord in 1989, Iraklis in 1997, Mainland Banner in 2005 and Monkey King for the past two editions.
He is now one behind the record of the late Cecil Devine, whose wins included a hat-trick on False Step.
"He did not have it all easy but he's certainly a great little horse," May said after the race.
Despite Monkey King falling into his old bad habits of bungling in the standing start in two of his leadup runs, May said he was confident he would begin well today.
But at the top of the straight he was worried about Stunin Cullen, who was poised in behind Smoken Up and looking ready to strike in the passing lane.
"When I hit the passing lane I just threw everything at him and he just took off." As it was, Stunin Cullen had nothing left.
May and trainer Brendon "Benny" Hill said they both had confidence in the horse, with Hill saying once the horse sprung well at the start, his optimism rose.
"What a wonderful horse and what a wonderful drive," he said.
Hill was an emotional man when he had his first Cup winner last year, but said he was much more relaxed today.
Hill trains Monkey King and Power Of Tara at owner Robert Famularo's Cavalla Bloodstock complex at Kaiapoi, in north Canterbury.
Famularo paid tribute to his horse, trainer and jockey at the presentation ceremony.
"I am just so proud of the horse. It has been wonderful for our family."
Famularo told the crowd he was keen to catch up with Harness New South Wales executives, as Monkey King had not yet been accorded an invitation to defend his Miracle Mile crown in Sydney on November 27.
That should now be a formality.
"Our real wish is to have the first to break 1:50 in Australasia," Famularo said.
Monkey King's currently has the best mile rate, at 1:50.8, a tenth of a second faster than Smoken Up's best.
Today, Monkey King's time was four minutes 0.7 seconds, a mile rate of 2:01, with the last 800 in 56.6sec and the last 400 in 28.3sec.
The win was Monkey King's 37th from 76 starts and took his stake earnings past $2.3m.
There was sadness at the end of the race with Kiwi Ingenuity breaking late, after kicking through her shin boot and injuring a tendon. She may be retired.
- NZPA
