NZ HARNESS NEWS
Taking the dominant winner of the New Zealand Trotting Cup out of the New Zealand Free-For-All should have a detrimental impact, but the omission of Lazarus from this year’s Show Day feature may, in fact, enhance it.
Had he been there, and not on a plane to Perth, where he will chase Inter Dominion glory, the New Zealand Trotting Cup king of Tuesday would have started as short as he did two days ago – and probably won again.
But his absence opens the door for the Group One event and will allow any one of a plethora of chances in the race to step up and grab major glory during harness racing’s biggest week.
Logic would suggest that Tuesday’s place-getters, Jack’s Legend and Tiger Tara are the most likely to step in and fill the void.
Both were fantastic in the Cup and actually both seem better-suited to the mobile speed style of racing.
Jack’s Legend has the best of the barrier draws from three while Tiger Tara will start from a little wider, in barrier five.
Buster Brady, who produced the performance of his life to run fifth on Tuesday has the added bonus of starting from the pole position. On Friday.
While they’ve lost Lazarus from the race and will also be without Have Faith In Me, Piccadilly Princess and Heaven Rocks from the event, Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen will still have a strong hand.
Rasmussen will jump on board the also Perth-bound Ultimate Machete and Purdon will steer Dream About Me.
The latter was wiped out of the Cup on Tuesday and was initially earmarked for Perth as well, a decision on whether she still goes on the later flight on Sunday won’t be made until after the race on Friday.
Ultimate Machete will step in as the young buck in the race – 12 months after he won the Sires Stakes Final on Cup Day.
The reigning three-year-old pacer of the year was dazzling at last week’s Cup Trials and all reports from the stable are positive.
“Mark and Natalie have both been over the moon with his work,” Stable manager, Michelle Neilson said.
“They’ve been doing all the work with him this week and you just know he wouldn’t be lining up in a race like this unless he was capable of winning it.
“He always looked like an open class horse last season so it will be very interesting to see how he steps up.”
Meanwhile, Great Things Happen gained another small advantage over Bordeaux in the Dominion Handicap when he drew the front line for Friday’s feature.
With great stand start manners, a front-line draw was key for Bordeaux, but he will now, more than likely settle behind Great Things Happen which will make the task that little bit more difficult.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
