Christen Me out of NZ Trotting Cup

In the space of 20 minutes on Monday afternoon, the New Zealand Trotting Cup has been turned on its head.

First there was Arden Rooney winning the Group II Kaikoura Cup in a manner that suggests the now Australian-based pacer can become the first horse since Il Vicolo in 1996 to claim the Kaikoura- New Zealand Trotting Cup double.

Then just minutes later Cran Dalgety was on the blower making the call everyone suspected he would have to make this week.

A $2.50 favourite a few short weeks ago, Christen Me is out of the cup and only a 50-50 chance to get on the plane to Perth for the Inter Dominions.

Dalgety suspects Christen Me is suffering from a virus.

Last season's horse of the year will not start in the Group I NZ Free-For-All on Show Day regardless of whether he makes the trip to Perth.

Dalgety has also pulled Bit Of A Legend out of the cup.

Smolda holds on to his favourite tag at $3 with Sky Major at $3.50, while Arden Rooney moves into $6 on the back his gritty effort at Kaikoura and Ohoka Punter is at $6.50.

While Dalgety was contemplating cup week without his stable star, Kerryn Manning was counting down the hours to New Zealand's premier harness racing event on Tuesday week.

Arden Rooney won the Kaikoura Cup last year and went on to run 12th in the in the big dance at Addington.

But the Australian trainer-driver believes she has a better horse on her hands than when he was racing out of the All Stars barn 12 months ago.

Going on the run at the South Bay racecourse it is hard to disagree.

Arden Rooney lost several lengths when he galloped away from the tapes, worked around the field three wide, sat parked for the last 1800m and was still too tough.

He beat home a flying Messini by a head with Mighty Flying Mac, Dalgety's only runner left in the cup, a distant third.

Manning said she would take a degree of confidence into the cup in the knowledge that the gritty Better's Delight gelding will love the two miles at Addington.

"The further the better," Manning said,

"He's a true stayer and he loves the fight, he never gives in."

Manning was confident the Hunter Cup winner would bounce through the run and maybe even take a bit of improvement from Kaikoura given he only travelled over from Australia last week.

Co-trainer Mark Purdon was all smiles with the effort of Messini heading into the cup.

As expected, Te Kawau was much improved from his two previous outings and after finally getting a slice of luck in the running Brilliant Strike showed what he was capable of and would have comfortably won a cup start when the rankings are released on Tuesday after hitting the lines strongly in fifth.

Colin DeFilippi's grin when he returned to the birdcage after winning the feature trot was enough to suggest Stent is back to his best.

DeFilippi, who trains in partnership with wife Julie, blamed himself for letting the star trotter carry to much condition into Ashburton when he was upset by One Over Da Moon.

Stent's one and a quarter length win, in track record time, has DeFilippi looking forward to cup week.

DeFilippi said he would consult Stent's owner Trevor Casey on whether to contest the Group I NZ Free-For-All on cup day or go straight to the Group I Dominion Handicap.

After going to war with Stent in the running, Master Lavros faded to fourth behind Waterloo Sunset and Quite A Moment but trainer-driver Mark Jones was not concerned.

"He hasn't raced in three weeks so it wasn't too bad, we just have to hope he improves of that run before the Dominion."

Mat Kermeen

Republished with permission of Stuff NZ  –  Check site here