Trotter gets the green light

Aldebaran Crescent’s 2021 Inter Dominion campaign remains alive, with connections deciding to press on through the series after receiving some promising blood test results.

Trainer David Aiken sought veterinary advice and had blood taken from the mare after she dropped out to run last in Saturday night’s opening round of trotting heats at Tabcorp Park Menangle.

It was discovered the six-year-old had suffered a mild case of the “thumps”, but the stable confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that she would be right to take her place in round two of the series at Bathurst on Wednesday night.

She has drawn barrier seven in her 1730m heat, where she will take on overall favourite Majestic Man (gate two). Click here to see the fields.

Reported on Monday November 29: 

David and Josh Aiken will seek advice from a veterinarian and await blood test results before deciding whether or not they will continue Aldebaran Crescent’s Inter Dominion campaign.

The Avenel-trained mare dropped out to run last in her trotting heat at Menangle on Saturday night before it was revealed she had suffered from the “thumps”.

Josh Aiken was in the sulky and said the horse only suffered a mild case of the condition, which commonly occurs due to an electrolyte imbalance.

He said the vet would take blood from Aldebaran Crescent today, with the readings to help decide if she continues through the series.

Watch her performance below:

Saturday was an otherwise good night for team Aiken, which won a heat of the pacing series with Malcolms Rhythm and had Reactor Now (seventh) and Max Delight (fourth) perform well in others.

Reports are good across the board from Victorian trainers with horses in ID21, which moves to round two qualifiers at Bathurst on Wednesday night.

While Malcolms Rhythm was the only Victorian-trained heat winner on Saturday night, the performance of The Penny Drops had plenty talking.

The Stawell squaregaiter ran a narrow second placing to trotting division favourite Majestic Man and has pulled up well from the effort according to trainer Ray Harvey.

Watch the run below:

Barrier draws have been completed for Wednesday night’s heats, which take place as the last five races on the Bathurst card.

Then it’s over to Newcastle on Sunday for the third and last round of qualifiers, with the top 12 point-getters in both pacing and trotting divisions progressing to Group 1 finals at Menangle on December 11.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV