By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Group One performer Time Up The Hill timed her run to perfection when taking out the Trotters Green Mile (1609m) at Methven on Sunday.
The daughter of Muscle Hill took an early trail behind The Dominator from her frontline draw and was able to enjoy a soft trip throughout.
Time Up The Hill was able to scoot up the passing lane for driver Katie Cox and got up to nab race favourite Mataderos on the line to win by half a head.
“From the draw (2) I was confident that she would run in the top three,” said trainer Michael Ward, who also co-bred and co-owns the mare.
“The Dominator led, she got the trip, and Mataderos was always going to be the hardest to beat.”
Time Up The Hill was runner-up last start behind Muscle Mountain in the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All (1980m) and Ward said she has appreciated the mobile starts.
“She can follow speed. She has been handicapped out of it a bit and that is why I put her in the two mobiles,” Ward said.
“I was confident going into the Free-For-All as well. Two starts prior she ran home in 26 off a back mark, you don’t go much better than that.”
While she still has plenty of racing ahead of her, Ward is looking forward to breeding from Time Up The Hill in the future.
Out of Group One performer Majestic Time, Time Up The Hill has now won eight of her 38 starts, including the Group 3 Northern Trotting Oaks (2200m), and placed in the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Derby (2600m), Group 1 Northern Trotting Derby (2700m), and New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All.
While her dam was a quality racehorse, her connections haven’t had the best of luck with her in the broodmare paddock, with the 11-year-old mare having produced just two foals to date.
“I only hope she breeds better than her mother. She has only had two foals, with the other being two at Christmas time,” Ward said.
Meanwhile, the Regan Todd-trained Corravallay Star returned to winning form when taking out the Pacers Green Mile (1609m).
