Classic next for trio

Rolleston training partners Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen could have four starters in the Group II Canterbury Classic at Addington on October 7.

Their three runners in last Friday’s New Brighton Cup – Lazarus (third), Have Faith In Me (fourth) and Smolda (eighth) – are earmarked for the Classic. Another member of the team, Titan Banner, is being considered for the feature.

Titan Banner, unraced since his third at the Harness Jewels in Cambridge in June, is one of 13 horses Purdon and Rasmussen are taking to the Ashburton workouts on Tuesday.

Lazarus and Have Faith In Me finished strongly in the New Brighton Cup and Smolda was blocked from a run in the closing stages. All three were having their first start for the season.

‘‘They all pulled up super,’’ Rasmussen said. Amberley trainer Kevin Chapman intends to start Locharburn in the Canterbury Classic. Locharburn competed in the New Brighton Cup but lost his chance by breaking at the start.

‘‘He went off on the wrong leg . . . he’s a big horse and got a long hopple,’’ Chapman said.

On Monday, West Melton trainer Geoff Dunn had blood tests done on Tiger Tara after his fair fifth in the New Brighton Cup.

‘‘He didn’t pace as smoothly as he can . . . on the night, he wasn’t 100 per cent,’’ Dunn said.

Meanwhile, last year’s winner, Zachary Binx, is among 13 nominations for Sunday’s Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup, on grass, at Motukarara.

Zachary Binx’s West Melton trainer, Ken Ford, has also nominated Amaretto Sun, who won the Ordeal Cup by four lengths at Addington on September 9. Another Banks Peninsula Cup nominee, One Over Da Moon is back with Leeston horseman Paul Nairn.