Ultimate Machete out of NZ Cup

The New Zealand Trotting Cup has lost its second leading contender in a week following the withdrawal of Ultimate Machete yesterday.

Last week it was Perth star Chicago Bull who was withdrawn with a back injury after his impressive win in Auckland and now the sole Australian raider Tiger Tara is the firm favourite for next week’s $800,000 feature.

Ultimate Machete was the early favourite but some dodgy standing start displays followed by a flat effort at Addington last Friday, when the five-year-old Bettor’s Delight entire finished sixth, saw him drift in the market to the third line of betting.

‘‘We got the vet [Lindsay Colwell] to him on Saturday and she strongly suspected it was a foot abscess although nothing has come to the surface just yet,’’ Purdon said.

‘‘But we worked him this morning and he clearly wasn’t right, so we made the call to pull him out. If the hoof does burst out in the coming days as we expect, there won’t be enough time to get him right again and ready for the cup.’’

Purdon is still hopeful Ultimate Machete will start in the FFA on Show Day, a race he won last year over Tiger Tara and Jack’s Legend in an all-comers national record mile rate of 1.51.9. But that will depend on what unfolds in coming days and he is probably only a 50/50 chance at best, according to Purdon.

Purdon will now take the drive in the cup behind the Australianowned Cruz Bromac, who won the Methven Cup last month in his New Zealand debut.