New Zealand’s best pacer is out of the Inter Dominions

New Zealand’s best pacer is out of the Inter Dominions on the eve of his return to harness racing.

Self Assured (Bettors Delight), who resumes in the Canterbury Classic at Addington on Friday night (Sep. 30), was not among the nominations for the series which closed on Wednesday and neither was his stablemate Spankem.

Champion trainer Mark Purdon had told HRNZ earlier this week he was only lukewarm on the series and decided not to even enter the pair for the series which begins on November 26 and runs through until the Melton final on December 10.

That suggests Purdon’s pair will be staying in New Zealand until at least the New Year before potentially races like the Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile come into play.

While Self Assured wasn’t nominated fellow NZ Cup winner Copy That was, although he will return to New Zealand after the Victoria Cup next week and no Interdom decision will be made until after Addington.

South Coast Arden and Krug are two of the other big name NZ pacers nominated while one out of left field is Republican Party.

In the trotting series both Bolt For Brilliance and Sundees Son are entered, with Bolt For Brilliance by far the most likely to go and Sundees Son’s entry looking more of a backstop measure as his connections have already indicated they are likely to stay in New Zealand.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand