Threeway fight for Horse of Year
MIRACLE Mile hero Spankem is set to race on this season, setting up a bigthree battle for harness racing’s Horse of the Year.
Crucial votes in the contest could end up being won at Alexandra Park next month, as Spankem clashes with elite stablemates Turn It Up and Chase Auckland.
After his surprise thrashing of his Miracle Mile opponents at Menangle 12 days ago, Spankem was sent for a veterinary examination.
Any sign of soreness or issues would have probably seen the 4yrold sent to the paddock, but trainer Mark Purdon liked what the vets had to say and Spankem is Aucklandbound next month.
‘‘They checked him out and said he is in great condition so we will aim him at the Taylor Mile [April 26] and the Messenger [May 3] at Alexandra Park,’’ Purdon said.
That means all three of the PurdonRasmussen mega race winners from this season will race on, as Thefixer (New Zealand Cup) and Turn It Up (Auckland Cup) are also going to have autumn campaigns.
Thefixer will contest the Superstars at Addington on March 29 and then the Easter Cup, and victory in the latter would go a long way to him taking the Horse of the Year title.
That will probably round out his season, and if either Spankem or Turn It Up could sweep the Alexandra Park double, they would enormously boost their own chances.
Turn It Up could yet contest the Easter Cup, but is more likely to head to the Rangiora Classic on April 7 before Alexandra Park.
There he will go headtohead with Spankem and Chase Auckland in the group one fouryearold races, before more than likely contesting the Jewels at Addington on June 1.
‘‘He hasn’t had the summer racing of some of the others or the travel to Australia,’’ explains Purdon of Turn It Up.
‘‘So he will probably press on to the Jewels, whereas the two big races at Auckland will probably do it for Spankem.’’
Spankem versus Turn It Up with the remainder of a strong 4yrold crop led by Chase Auckland would really spice up the Taylor MileMessenger double, and could go some way to resolving the question of who the best pacer in the country is.