True Fantasy Dominant in Harness Million
13 February 2022
True Fantasy (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) cemented her status as New Zealand’s star filly when powering to victory in the Listed $150,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3YO Fillies Final (2200m) at Alexandra Park on Saturday night.
Perfectly rated by driver Natalie Rasmussen, the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen trained filly led throughout to decisively add yet another lucrative feature to her glittering CV. True Fantasy was a $70,000 purchase by prominent owner Jean Feiss at the 2020 Christchurch National Yearling Sale out of Studholme Bloodstock’s draft. Studholme Bloodstock will offer 13 yearlings at the 2022 Christchurch National Yearling Sale from 14 to16 February.
Rasmussen positioned True Fantasy in front early, before runner-up Miki Montana (NZ) (Always B Miki) launched a challenged with a lap to go. But, in a dominant display, True Fantasy maintained the lead with Miki Montana and David Butcher slotting in behind.
Natalie Rasmussen revealed that the midrace fireworks helped to spark the very laid-back True Fantasy up.
“It was probably good that David came up, she got on the job without me having to get on her case,” Rasmussen said. “The rest turned out perfect, really. She is a bit tough, very, very quick and so laid back. She got the job done and she is just a lovely filly.”
Miki Montana lost no admirers with her gutsy second for the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan stable. The filly was purchased by Dean Shannon’s Montana Park for $22,000 from the Alabar Farms draft at the Auckland National Yearling Sale in 2020. Alabar will offer eight yearlings at the Auckland National Yearling Sale on today at Karaka.
Dance Till Dawn (NZ) (Art Major) produced a huge effort to run third in the Harness Million Final after sitting outside True Fantasy for much of the race. The filly was purchased by trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn’s Diamond Racing for $40,000 from the Broadfield Lodge draft at the 2020 Christchurch National Yearling Sale. Broadfield Lodge will offer three yearlings at the 2022 Christchurch National Yearling Sale on February 14-16.
Earlier on Saturday night, the Dunn stable made it back-to-back Harness Million titles with their star trotter Highgrove (NZ) (Love You) in the $75,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Three-Year-old Trot (2200m).
Highgrove was a $34,000 purchase by Diamond Racing from Laura Smith’s Christchurch draft at the National Yearling Sale in 2020. Diamond Racing then syndicated the trotter amongst stable owners Alan Neumann, Ian Neumann, Vinnie Neumann, Emma Hintz, and Brent Clarke.
Driver John Dunn was thrilled that the trotter was able to win the group a second Harness Million title after Highgrove’s victory in the $75,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-old Trot (1980m) at Addington in 2021.
“It is a good race to win and great for the owners,” Dunn said. “They will be rapt with the win.”
Highgrove scored by five lengths over runner-up El Conqueror (NZ) (Sebastian K), with Wy Fi (NZ) (Love You) third.
True Fantasy
| Vendor | Studholme Bloodstock |
| Purchaser | Mrs JL Feiss |
| Breeding | Bettor’s Delight x Secret Notion |
| Sale | 2020 Christchurch Yearling Sale, $70,000 |
| Bred by | Studholme Bloodstock & Miss P M Hanley |
Highgrove
| Vendor | L. Smith |
| Purchaser | Diamond Racing |
| Breeding | Love You x Focus On Me |
| Sale | 2020 Christchurch Yearling Sale, $34,000 |
| Bred by | Tavistock Breeding |