Hail the Monkey King

New Zealand Cup day fashion

New Zealand Cup Day fashion

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CARYS MONTEITH/The Press Zoom

Caroline Champion wearing a self made outfit with a Japanese influence.

Cup Day 2009

IAIN MCGREGOR/The Press

GOOD CONDITION: Monkey King is in the right condition to keep his incredible winning roll intact in Friday night's Victoria Cup.

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The call has been made and it's now officially the year of the Monkey.

And rightly so, after the speedy Canterbury pacer stormed down the outside of the Addington racecourse to take the $1 million New Zealand Trotting Cup yesterday.

Courtesy of a perfect drive from Ricky May, who registered his fourth win in New Zealand harness racing's greatest race, Monkey King was just too quick after saving every inch of energy until it was needed.

He had to hold off a late final bid for glory from Dexter Dunn and Bettor's Strike but was clear of third-placed pacemaker Smoken Up.

Monkey King covered the 3200-metre trip in 3min 57.3sec, speeding over his last 800m in a slick 56.9sec.

It capped a great story for Monkey King's trainer Brendon (Benny) Hill who only took over training the Sands A Flyin gelding early this year, after being the South Island caretaker trainer previously.

Hill's relationship with Monkey King's owner, Robert Famularo, of Cavalla Bloodstock, has blossomed and they are now touted as one the leading owner/trainer partnerships in the game.

There is no denying yesterday's success for them either, and after two years of bad luck in the race there isn't a more deserved winner.

Hill, as he reflected on what was sure to have been the greatest day of his life, was initially lost for words. "This is just amazing," he said.

"He has been racing so well; out of his skin in fact, so it's not so much of a surprise, but just a great thrill. I really don't know how to describe it."

While admitting to being a little nervous pre-race, Hill said he just tried to take everything in and enjoy the moment.

"I wasn't too bad. But once he stepped away I was a lot better.

"That start was awesome, he got away so quick and so cleanly and actually ended up closer than what I thought he would. I didn't try to dwell on the stand start too much, but it was always in the back of the mind."

Hill was full of compliments for May and his drive, stating that it made his job as a trainer that much easier when he could just leave the on-track business to his horse and his driver.

"I didn't say anything to him before the race, just let him do his thing. And he drove him beautifully."

May's fourth success in the race also enters him in the history books as one of the most successful drivers in the race's history after his previous wins behind Inky Lord (1989), Iraklis (1997) and Mainland Banner in 2005.

For Famularo it was a dream come true, and when speaking on behalf of his family, wife Kerry and daughters Sara and Michelle, he struggled to hold back the emotions, giving a true feeling of just how much the race meant to him.

"We are just so proud of Monkey, and Brendon has done an outstanding job with him," Famularo said.

"And Ricky is just a freak of nature and so precious to us. I have to admit that as soon as I saw him step away, I was a little bit confident and Ricky just drove him so, so well."

The Monkey King story began at the Premier Yearling Sales where former trainer Steven Reid bought him for Famularo at a price of $20,000.

Now six years and 63 starts later Monkey King has amassed 29 wins and more than $1.7 million in stakes, and in doing so has etched himself into harness racing history as the tiny horse with the massive motor.

Although it is still 12 months out Famularo is already thinking about next year's race. Monkey will definitely be back, hopefully with accomplished stablemates, Baileys Dream, Tennis Ball and Harley Earl.

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