NZ Cup field dwindles
There are 800,000 reasons to contest New Zealand’s richest standardbred race but it appears there are plenty of reasons not to as well.
The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club had received just 25 nominations by Wednesday afternoon for the Group I $800,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Trotting Cup.
The dismal number follows a downward trend with just 29 nominations in 2016, down from 40 in 2015.
Only one Australian runner has been nominated
Nominations were due to close on Wednesday but there was a chance a couple of extras could come through, Addington Raceway racing secretary Brian Rabbitt said.
The 2017 Cup field shaped as a changing of the guard with just six runners from the 2016 race to return on November 14.
Of last year’s runners, Inter Dominion winner Smolda had been retired, Christen Me, Brilliant Strike, Mossdale Conner and Quick As A Trick were racing in North America, Mighty Flying Mac and Lewy Risk were based in Australia, Messini had not been nominated and Franco Nelson had suffered a set back that is unlikely to see him race until January.
The All Stars stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen have almost a third of the runners nominated with seven entries.
Last year’s ten length winner, Lazarus, who was last week named Horse of the Year, will be joined by Easter Cup and dual Harness Jewels winner Heaven Rocks, Dream About Me, Have Faith In Me, Waikiki Beach, Cash N Flow and Piccadilly Princess.
Bookmakers have Lazarus a $2.20 favourite in the futures market ahead of Heaven Rocks ($3.60) and Dream About Me at $9.
The timing of the Inter Dominions, that begin on November 24, have had an effect on the Australian contingent and the prospect of taking on the likes of Lazarus and Heaven Rocks on their home track must also be a deterrent.
As previously indicated by Purdon, neither controversial winner of three-year-old colt or gelding of the year Ultimate Machete or runner-up Vincent have been nominated for the Cup.
Tiger Tara, last year’s runner up behind Lazarus, has since been sold to Australia but he was a chance to make an Addington return.
Australian trainer Kevin Pizzuto has elected to nominate the former Geoff Dunn-trained multiple Group I winner but his attendance will depend on suitable transport options.
Another Australian tipped to be at Addington on the second Tuesday of November was Mr Mojito but, the Cup winning owners of 2015 with Arden Rooney, Merv and Meg Butterworth have not nominated the former Purdonrasmussen pacer.
Titan Banner, who was third in the race last year, was another nominated to return in 2017.
Meanwhile, nominations for the 2017 Dominion Handicap, which has had a $40,000 stake increase to go to $300,000, were headed up by the recently crowned Trotter of the Year Monbet.
In contrast to the pacers, 47 nominations for the Dominion had been received on Wednesday.
But Greg and Nina Hope have resisted the temptation to nominate Monbet’s stablemate and last season’s three-year-old trotting sensation Enghien for the Dominion Handicap.
Purdon and Rasmussen have nominated American trotter Aldebaran Eagle.
The six-year-old Muscle Hill entire is yet to race in New Zealand but won six races with 17 placings in North America.
Prominent Australian owner Pat O’driscoll has nominated My Tribeca and Cyclone Jeter from across the Tasman for the Dominion.