Another Aussie trotter coming to New Zealand

Former Kiwi harness racing horseman Brent Lilley is playing musical trotters when it comes to New Zealand’s feature trotting races.

Fresh from a satisfying two-race raid back to his homeland with Queen Elida, which included a close third in the inaugural TAB Trot, Lilley is returning next week, but with a different trotter.

“Queen Elida won’t be going back, but we’ve decided to take Kyvalley Hotspur over,” Lilley said.

“It sounds like Just Believe and Muscle Mountain won’t go to the Anzac Cup (May 17), so we’ll target that and then face up to them in the Rowe Cup.

“We’ve got him back to his best. He loves standing start racing and he’s earnt a shot at these races.”

Kyvalley Hotspur posted his 14th win when he made light of a 10m handicap to impressively win the Bendigo Trotters’ Cup last Friday night.

And Kiwis can expect to see even more of the six-year-old.

“Yes, the plan is for him to stay in NZ and spell after the Rowe Cup, then go to Bob Butt to prepare for the Dominion at (NZ) Cup time,” Lilley said, “he’s strong, loves stands and is a suitable horse.

Meanwhile, Queen Elida has thrived since returning home after her Kiwi raid and steps out in the $100,000 Group 1 Macarthur Mile at Menangle on Saturday night.

It’s a mares-only feature she has won the past two years.

“You can’t miss the chance for her to race her own sex for that sort of money,” Lilley said, “she was always coming back from NZ for it.

“We did consider going back again to NZ, but she’s had a long campaign and deserves a spell now.

“She’ll come back for the good races towards the end of the year and have another crack at the Inter Dominion (in NSW).”

This year’s Inter Dominion final is at Menangle where Queen Elida has raced three times for two wins and a second in the NSW Trotters’ Oaks.

Lilley is confident Queen Elida can add to her fantastic Menangle record on Saturday night.

“Everything says she’s got another big run left in her,” he said.

“The race looks like it could pan out well for her, too.

“Barrier four is good and if Funky Monkey works to the front from three, there’s a big chance she’d be happy to sit on our mare and we’d get every chance.

“I’m sure she’ll take a lot of beating again.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing New Zealand