Merlin Edges Out Don’t Stop Dreaming in Epic Harness Million Battle
14 October 2022
The clash of two-year-old pacing titans lived up to its huge billing when the magical Merlin (NZ) (Art Major) held out Don’t Stop Dreaming (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) in an epic running of the $200,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Pace (1980m).
The incredibly talented pacers went stride for stride around the home turn at Addington on Friday night in the lucrative feature for NZB Standardbred graduates.
At the end of a mouth-watering spectacle for harness racing fans, it was Merlin who clinched a second Harness Million victory on the night for trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan.
Merlin bagged the biggest purse of his career in the process, adding a second stakes-race victory to his perfect record of eight starts for eight wins.
The colt’s brilliant win now gives Merlin the claim to clearly being New Zealand’s best two-year-old pacing colt or gelding.
Merlin is raced by Dean Shannon’s Montana Park after he purchased him for $120,000 at the 2021 National Yearling Sale in Christchurch.
Tactics dominated the massive hype leading into the NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Pace after both Merlin and Don’t Stop Dreaming were handed tricky draws.
In his second brilliant Harness Million drive of the evening, Zachary Butcher helped Merlin overcome his wide draw by taking him to the front early in Friday night’s race.
“He is actually getting better and better,” Butcher told Harness Racing Unhinged.
“It all counts, he has got the mannerism, he can stay and he has got the speed and he can follow speed.
“It is not often you come across a horse like him that just keeps winning, you just have to enjoy the ride.”
Don’t Stop Dreaming was caught back in the field before driver Mark Purdon took him around the field to sit outside of Merlin.
That set up an incredible last 400 metres, with the previously unbeaten pairing going neck and neck around the home turn.
Eventually, it was Merlin who prevailed, though Don’t Stop Dreaming lost no admirers with his gutsy effort for second.
Don’t Stop Dreaming was purchased by All Stars Racing Stables for $250,000 out of the Studholme Bloodstock Draft at the 2021 National Yearling Sale in Christchurch.
As the first two colts fought out their epic home straight duel, Son Of Mac (NZ) (American Ideal) was going the race of his career on their inner.
The two-year-old rallied strongly along the pacing lane, finishing just a neck behind Don’t Stop Dreaming in third for trainer Kyle Marshall.
Marshall purchased the colt for $60,000 out of the Leanach Lodge draft at the 2021 National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Many of the field for the NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-Old Colts and Geldings, including star colts Merlin and Don’t Stop Dreaming, will now progress to battle again at Group One level in the New Zealand Sires Stakes Final on New Zealand Cup Day.
| Consignor | Broadfield Lodge |
| Purchaser | Montana Park |
| Breeding | Art Major x Imaginary Bet |
| Sale | 2021 Christchurch Yearling Sale, $120,000 |
| Breeder | Taffy Limited |