The short way down Old Town Road

Old Town Road’s (Bettor’s Delight) path to harness racing’s IRT New Zealand Cup on Tuesday is one of the quickest in recent times.

Derby (El Patron) started in the 1983 Cup at his fourteenth start while Happy Sunrise (Steven Stock) ran in the 1987 New Zealand Cup at his sixteenth start.

Tuesday’s Cup will be only Old Town Roads thirteen start.

“It’s playing on the back of my mind a wee bit. He’s got a bit of time to do his own thing and is not going to stand around as long as some of the others. It’s a big day and there’s a lot of horses, a lot of noise. He might get a little bit wound up but it’s my job to keep him calm, relaxed, get him under way and worry about the rest after that,” race day driver Zachery Butcher said.

Old Town Road is owned by Southlanders Ben and Karen Calder, trainer John Dickie and son Josh.

This will be the first time John has had a horse in the Cup. The Calder’s owned Grinaldi which ran eighth in the 1996 New Zealand Cup won by II Vicolo while Josh, who has driven four hundred and fifty winners in this country, has never had a drive in the great race.

Old Town Road started his IRT New Zealand Cup campaign beating Copy That at Alexandra Park in August. He then had two more wins at the Park in September and early October before running an eye catching second to BD Joe in the Ashburton Flying Stakes.

On Wednesday the four year old lined up in the Cup Trial at Addington running second to Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven) and Butcher was happy with the run.

OLD TOWN ROAD RUNNING SECOND IN CUP TRIAL REPLAY

“It was his first time at Addington, so he had a good look round. He can be a bit jumpy with things like that, but he handled himself pretty well. He lunged in a bit following Rock N Roll Doo but once I straightened him up, he steered pretty good,” Zachery said.

Four year olds to win the Cup in recent times are Il Vicolo, (1995), Christian Cullen (1998), Mainland Banner (2005), Terror To Love (2011), Lazarus (2016), and Copy That (2021).

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink