Last Friday Addington Raceway held one of the most anticipated trotting events on New Zealand Show Day, the NZ$250 000 Group 1 Hellers Dominion (3200m), where in-form stayer Springbank Richard reigned supreme.
The star trotter, driven by owner Williamson’s oldest son Nathan Williamson in the young reinsman’s biggest win, defeated a quality field including runner-up Sovereignty, visiting from the North Island, in the second leg of the Barastoc Trotters Grand Circuit.
The six-year-old Sundon gelding charged to the front of the pack ahead of Sovereignty and driver Maurice McKendry and set the pace from around the 1800m mark, holding onto the lead to cross the line ahead of his rival by a neck, with Houdini Star and John Hay in third.
Clocking a winning time of 4:07.4 with a 2:04 mile rate, Springbank Richard ran sharp 300m and 400m sectionals in 59.6 and 28.6 respectively in an impressive out-in-front win.
Springbank Richard’s performance means he will most likely be aimed at the Australasian Trotting Grand Prix and Bill Collins Trotters Mile in Melbourne next month where he will come up against Chris Lang’s two powerful Victorian trotters Skyvalley and Sundons Gift.
The victory bought Springbank Richards’ record to 17 wins from 35 career starts and earnings of over $500 000 in prizemoney.
Hellers Smallgoods Dominion Race Results:
Placing |
Horse |
Driver |
| 1 |
SPRINGBANK RICHARD |
N P Williamson |
| 2 |
SOVEREIGNITY |
M W McKendry |
| 3 |
HOUDINI STAR |
J C Hay |
| 4 |
UNIQUE STAR |
M P Jones |
| 5 |
ELLA POWELL |
J R Dunn |
| 6 |
BRAIG |
J F Curtin |
| 7 |
REAL DEAL YANKEE |
T W Mitchell |
| 8 |
SUMMER MAN |
T S Chmiel |
| 9 |
SPECULATE |
J W Smith |
| 10 |
RAYMAUWARRHEN SUN |
R T May |
| 11 |
RUNNING ON TIME |
M P Edmonds |
| 12 |
MIDNIGHT INVASION |
A J Tomlinson |
| 13 |
WHATSUNDERMYKILT |
M Purdon |
| 14 |
THE FAT CONTROLLER |
D J Dunn |
| pup |
MYSTIC SUN |
M J Williamson |
