Muscle Mountain back to defend David Moss crown
Matt Markham - Raceform • December 18th, 2025 11:48 AM • 4 min read
With Muscle Mountain, Mr Love and Midnight Dash set to dominate the feature trotting event of the day, punters might be surprised by Ben Hope’s confidence around another stable chance at Invercargill on Friday.
Any winner of the Gr.3 David Moss Stakes outside of the three big guns trained by Hope and his father Greg would be a major upset, so to hear Ben speak so highly about lower-rated mare Zarlini as a standout chance for the stable in the Diamond Creek/SBSR Robin Dundee Crown is worth noting.
“She was simply awesome at Addington last Friday night,” Ben told RaceForm. “She finished third in behind two of Cran Dalgety’s horses, but charged through the line and showed, finally, what we’ve known she’s been capable of for a while.”
Privately timed to run her final 200 metres in 12 seconds, Zarlini was certainly flying and it suggested that the five-year-old mare was ready to return to the winners’ circle.
“Not a lot has gone her way so far this time, but she’s always had the ability and although we’ve got a slightly tricky draw on the second row, I actually think it might work out really well for her.”
A daughter of Bettor’s Delight and Cullini – herself a very smart mare – Zarlini will start from the inside of the second row, following Sandy Shore who looks likely to settle close to the speed.
“It should work out pretty well from there. Hopefully we can get a nice trip on the markers and then her high speed will carry her a very long way. I think she’s a really good winning chance this week.”
A strong performance from Zarlini could set the tone for later in the day for the Hope stable, where Muscle Mountain, Mr Love and Midnight Dash all take their place in the $40,000 feature trot which Muscle Mountain won last year.
“We actually got the quinella last year with Midnight Dash finishing second, so it’s been a good race for us.”
The trio were all at Methven a fortnight ago in the Methven Trotters’ Green Mile, which was won by Mighty Logan with Mr Love second, Muscle Mountain fourth and Midnight Dash seventh.
“We’re happy with all three, they’ve come through Methven really well.
“It’s not the strongest field they’ve faced, but it could be quite tactical with a few sharp beginners on the front and all three of ours off handicaps.
“You have to respect the opposition, but you’d think if they ran up to their recent form, they’d be right in it.”
Muscle Mountain was enormous during Cup Week at Addington without grabbing a major prize, while Mr Love finished a bold second behind Gus in the Dominion.
Midnight Dash has continued producing his usual honest efforts throughout this campaign and his reliability always makes him a player.
“Muscle Mountain would still be the best chance, just with his speed, but he’ll need that little bit of racing luck still.”
Hope will be on board Muscle Mountain while Blair Orange continues his association with Mr Love and Gemma Thornley gets the drive again on Midnight Dash.
Two mares, Julie Jaccka and Princess Sadie, may provide the biggest danger to the three, with the latter especially in a very good vein of form.
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