Christen Me ready to race
Leading NZ Cup hope will trial at Ashburton today with a view to running on Sunday
The road to the New Zealand Trotting Cup begins today but with the potential for a shock race return this weekend.
Early indications are New Zealand’s greatest harness race could attract one of the strongest fields in its 110-year history to Addington on November 11.
While the Cup is still three months away, the first of its major players returns to the public arena today when Christen Me steps out at the Ashburton trials.
He will meet former stablemate Locharburn, who is now back with owner-trainer Kevin Chapman, and Jimmy Johnstone in a 2400m trial at 2.45pm.
However, in the first surprise on the path to the Cup, trainer Cran Dalgety is considering starting Christen Me in a $10,000 mobile at Rangiora this Sunday. “It will depend if they get a field, which obviously him being in the nominations won’t help,” says Dalgety.
“But he is forward and after a trial on Tuesday he would be ready for a 2000m race by then.
“So if he trials well and the race goes ahead, he is a huge chance of starting.
“He looks great and is definitely bigger and stronger than last season.”
Racing on Sunday would make Christen Me the first of the Cup favourites to do so this season and almost reverts to the race programmes of 30 years ago, when NZ Cup contenders usually resumed in August.
In recent years that has changed to a late September start for most, with many having just three runs before the Cup.
It will also force a rushed trip back to Canterbury for driver Dexter Dunn, who will be at Ballarat on Saturday night to partner Katy Perry in her Breeders Crown semifinal.
Nominations for the NZ Cup close at 3pm tomorrow and Christen Me will be joined by three-time winner Terror To Love, Adore Me, Smolda and Pembrook Benny, while the Australian nominations will be very strong, with I’m Themightyquinn, For A Reason and Mach Beauty likely to be entered.
Meanwhile, trainer-driver Mark Jones had a rare, but winning, excuse not to see his stable star Master Lavros presented with the Trotter of the Year at the harness racing awards dinner in Christchurch on Saturday night. Jones was celebrating winning his club rugby final with his teammates, so sent stable driver Kimberley Butt to the awards but with an acceptance speech to read out.
Master Lavros was a clear winner of the Trotter and Aged Trotter of the Year awards but lost out to Terror To Love for Horse of the Year.
The New Zealand and Auckland Cup winner was always going to claim the top prize for the second year running after that glamour double.
Tiger Tara won one of the night’s tighter votes beating Locharburn for 3-year-old pacer of the year, that title decided by their nail-biting finish in the Woodlands Northern Derby.
Other dominant winners included Adore Me (mare), Follow The Stars (male juvenile pacer), Supersonic Miss (female juvenile pacer), Majestic Time (female 3-year-old trotter) and King Denny (3-year-old male trotter).
Superbowlcheerleader’s win in the Anzac Cup at Alexandra Park in April earned her trotting mare of the year, giving leading trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen five individual award winners.
Auckland owner, breeder, veterinarian and stud owner Charles Roberts won the outstanding contribution award.