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Just as punters hoped, showers have cleared in Christchurch in time to fling open the gates at Addington Raceway before the 122nd running of the New Zealand Trotting Cup. 

The grey start's made way for some blue skies and enough sun to fry off rain that fell this morning. 

Race caller Matt Cross told John MacDonald the track's in good order. 

He says the afternoon forecast is pretty good, so by the time the Cup comes around this evening, we should be in pretty fine form in terms of the weather. 

The Trotting Cup is the richest harness race in the Southern Hemisphere, with a million dollars on offer, and Cross says that while he might be a bit biased, he thinks it’s the greatest harness race in the Southern Hemisphere too.  

It’s the history that makes it special, he told MacDonald, and every year this is the race people talk about. 

“It’s the pinnacle. It’s the race that not only defines horses, but it defines people as well in terms of where they sit in the pecking order within the industry.” 

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