Good sprint win for Southlandbred pacer but Field Marshal fails to fire

SOUTHLANDBRED pacer Tact Tate (McArdleTact Lizzie) won a chaotically run Sunshine Sprint (1660m) at Albion Park in Brisbane on Saturday night.

The 6yrold caused a mild upset when winning the $A50,000 race at $14 odds from the Otagobred Celestial Arden.

Their success came at the expense of Otago ownedandbred pacer Field Marshal.

After a horror trip in which he was stuck three wide for the entire race, the Miracle Mile winner dropped out and ran last.

Trainer Tim Butt was at a loss to explain Field Marshal’s failure.

The race produced an even bigger shock that is set to have a big bearing on this season’s $800,000 New Zealand Cup.

The market for the 3200m feature lost one of its favourites just days after opening when Soho Tribeca pulled up with a broken leg.

The Victorian pacer fractured a bone in his foreleg after making contact with another horse in an incident 500m from the finish line.

When Field Marshal started to tire, other horses were forced to look for runs around him. Soho Tribeca was placed in tight quarters between Alleluia and Atomic Red.

Soho Tribeca was being aimed at the New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 13.

Australia media reported last night the horse will be operated on today, but he is expected to be sidelined for at least a year.

Rangiora trainer Andrew Stuart produced Sociable to win the $75,000 group 3 Queensland Oaks on Saturday night. — additional reporting Michael Guerin