The Falcon Strike NZ was still three wide racing for the bell. Down the back the last time the field became tightly packed with Buck The Odds moving to the lead around the final turn. Not even the trainer of the favourite watching on anxiously or its driver at this very point thought their horse could go on at the top of the straight, they said later.   

 “I didn’t want to hit him as he was giving his best,” said young Hall after the race. “But when I did give him a smack, he lifted and just kept on giving to the line.” 

The much improved Ohoka Ace NZ who had turned in a slashing second in the Fremantle Cup to Sandy Bay NZ loomed as the likely winner when he made a move turning for home with four horses then abreast in the dash to the post. But The Falcon Strike NZ just kept on digging deep to outstay all rivals. 

Sandy Bay NZ, drawn out in eight, was far from disgraced following its “all the way” win in the Fremantle Cup, and it finished not far behind the placegetters. 

Andrew De Campo (Ohoka Ace NZ) said he could not have been happier with the effort of his pacer. “I have stepped up its work in recent weeks and the horse just keeps on going better. I am now looking forward to the forthcoming WA Pacing Cup with the 5YO.” 

Mark Reed (Buck The Odds) said his 6YO was now back to its best. “He did all the work outside the leader and he was still there at the finish. Now he is firing again, all we need is a good draw in the WA Pacing Cup this week.” 

Another horse on the improve has been Money Magnet NZ. It had no luck in the Fremantle Cup, and again on Friday night struggled to get a run when it counted most. Colin Brown pointed out how his 5YO gelding was still learning. “He did not get a lot of room Friday night, and he is not used to being cluttered up. The good thing is that he has not been flattened in either race.” 

In the 1990s, Western Australia was able to attract top horses from the eastern states for their summer carnivals. However, things have changed since the closure of the major flight company that flew horses in and out of Perth. Floating horses across the continent in the hottest time of the year is too much of a risk for most eastern state trainers.  In addition there are also other significant Feature Race opportunities particularly in Victoria. 

Because of this, several eastern state scribes have been quick to claim the obvious that the lack of interstate horses is robbing the carnival of true Grand Circuit racing. Whether a principal club in the east puts its hand up to sponsor an APC remains to be seen, while there have been unconfirmed reports that another flight company is looking at opening a service flying horses from Melbourne to Perth.  

Meanwhile, Perth is preparing for its biggest harness race this week with the rich WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park Friday night. Unfortunately, Baltic Eagle NZ will be again missing. This former Inter Dominion winner, following its excellent third in the Fremantle Cup from the backmark, has again gone amiss and is now spelling for the next five weeks.

The next Grand Circuit race in the eastern states will be Melbourne’s A.G. Hunter Cup, Australia’s premier handicap race. This week’s Ballarat Cup will give horses their final tune-up for the big two-miler with several Kiwi visitors likely to be in the mix. Last Saturday night’s Geelong Cup was won by The Warp Drive.  

An excellent second in this race was turned in by Sydney’s Te Kanarama having only its fourth start since going amiss during the Perth Inter Dominion last March. Given a good run three back on the inside, the 5YO gelding finished strongly to make it a photo finish with The Warp Drive. That was just this horse’s 19^th start in a race.

Good crowds have highlighted all Grand Circuit racing this season, and the excellent promotion of this latest APC event was well attended by Perth harness racegoers.