“Thefixer … wow” calls Dan Mielicki as the All Stars next big thing swoops and registers a fourth straight PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup for the New Zealand stable.
Natalie Rasmussen guided Thefixer three-wide from the pegs and produced a withering final run to break local hearts after a valiant Rackemup Tigerpie almost produced a stunning victory.
Trainer-driver Michael Stanley’s four-year-old was valiant before ultimately finishing second, beaten 1.3m, with leader Cruz Bromac filling the placings.
It was a perfect scene setter for the Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup on February 2, when TAB Inter Dominion winner Tiger Tara is set to clash with Thefixer in a rematch of their thrilling New Zealand Trotting Cup stoush.
Winning driver Rasmussen, co-trainer of Thefixer with Mark Purdon, “was just thrilled with him tonight”.
“In fairness to the two leaders they went really hard from the 400 to the 200 and I was probably just lucky enough to get out across the back of them,” Rasmussen said. “He’s got really good point-to-point speed.”
Thefixer crossed Cant Refuse out of the gate to find the front but couldn’t match stablemate Cruz Bromac for early speed and accepted the trail, with Buster Brady initially in the breeze until Stanley emerged into the death seat with two laps remaining in the 2710m stoush.
“Cruz has got brilliant gate speed and he was quick enough to get across,” Rasmussen said. “I was probably just lucky I was quick enough to get across the one (Cant Refuse), that was probably the winning of the race.”
The leaders had it comfortably; their lead time (82.2s) and first (31.7s) and second (30.7s) quarters collectively 6.1 seconds slower than when Smolda set a new mile rate record in the 2017 cup.
Come the 27-second final quarter few could make ground as Rackemup Tigerpie spectacularly wore down Cruz Bromac from the breeze only to have Thefixer gobble up ground in the dying stages to claim the $110,000 Group 1 on his Australian debut.
“The horses had done a fair bit of work and I was pretty fresh-legged and he is very fast,” Rasmussen said.
“He’s a very good horse. He’s still probably a little bit physically immature as well and this is his first trip away. He only just went to Auckland, that was his first trip and then here. I think whatever he does this campaign, or just now, he will be better again next year.
“I think he is (going to be an almighty horse). I’ve stuck with him for a long time, even when he was a baby doing things wrong, he’s always given me a great feel. I’m just really thrilled for him.
“(The Hunter Cup) will probably be harder again, but this guy’s in with a chance.”
