Merlin for Aussie?

Star harness racing colt Merlin (Art Major) is getting close to returning to the races and a trip to Australia is being considered.

In his first season of racing he won eight of his nine starts before he was gallant in defeat when running fourth in the Group One Sires Stakes Final on Cup Day.

“We’re very happy with him and we’re looking at trialling him on the 4th of February. There’s a race for him in Auckland the week before the Harness Million. He’ll have a run along on the next couple of Saturdays and he should be pretty right,” co-trainer Scott Phelan said.

After racing in Canterbury, Merlin had three weeks off.

“He looks great and is still growing but we’re going through the preparation anyway, but he does look good.”

After the $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million, Phelan says he and co-trainer Barry Purdon are contemplating racing in Australia.

“After the Harness Million the Northern Derby is definitely on the cards and there’s a slight chance that he could go to the NSW Derby depending on how we are at the time because the horse comes first.” 

The Heats for the NSW Derby are a week after the Harness Million and the final is the following week.

“We’d have to make a pretty quick decision because we’d have to get on a plane pretty soon after (the Harness Million).”

The Northern Derby is on the 24th of March.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink