Big names still in mix for NZ Trotting Cup
Just twenty runners remain in contention for a start in New Zealand’s richest standardbred race.
The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club (NZMTC) received 28 initial nominations, back in mid-August, for the Group I $800,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 14 but that has been trimmed to 20 following the first withdrawal on Wednesday.
With such a small number of horses in the running more than seven weeks out from the second Tuesday of November, the NZMTC will be relieved to see almost all of the eight defections are at the bottom of the rankings.
Easter Cup runner-up Captain Dolmio is the most serious loss to date but all the leading contenders remain in the mix.
Start Dreaming, Art Union, Alpha Rock, Franco Cristiano, Northview Hustler came out on Wednesday to join Captain Dolmio, Cullect A Guinness and Max Phactor who were withdrawn earlier in the month.
The Cup market is dominated by four stablemates from Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s All Stars stable.
Lazarus, the 10 length winner of the 2016 Cup, remained at his opening quote of $2.20 ahead of stablemate Heaven Rocks ($3).
Have Faith In Me’s victory in Friday night’s Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup has seen the former Miracle Mile winner halve his opening quote of $18 to $9. Another stablemate, Dream About Me, was at $12.
Meanwhile, recently named Trotter of the Year Monbet remains a $1.85 favourite for the Group I $300,000 Dominion Handicap. Of the 47 initial nominations for the Dominion, just seven have dropped out at the first withdrawal on Wednesday.
The biggest loss is Group I winning mare Sunny Ruby. She is joined by Donegal Bettorgretch, Father Christmas, Idle Monkey, Djokovic, De Vito and Sundons Wish as the runners to come out of Dominion contention.
Friday night’s Ordeal Cup winner Destiny Jones has moved all the way up to second from 23rd in the Dominion rankings on the strength of the one length victory.