Tiger Tara thriving

New Zealand Cup runner-up Tiger Tara has settled in nicely to Lincoln Farms in Franklin, and a nice workout at Pukekohe on Saturday points to big month in Auckland in December.

Trainer Geoff Dunn said he gave the Bettor’s Delight entire a week off after the Cup and then opted to bring him to Auckland much earlier than what he did last year.

“He arrived Friday week ago and has settled in brilliantly at Lincoln Farms. It’s such a great complex there.

“I was rapt with the way he went in the Cup. It would be nice to go one better in the Auckland Cup but any nice cheque will do,” Dunn said.

He said Tiger Tara would line up in Friday’s Group Three $30,000 Summer Cup, where he has drawn seven of 10; and then the Group Two $40,000 Franklin Cup the following week.

“They are his lead-up races to the Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve. We will see how he comes through the Carnival and then will look at possible Australian options. The Victoria Cup could be on the cards if he shows the same form as what he did on (NZ) Cup Day,” said Dunn.

Tiger Tara was a 10-length second behind the 'freak', Lazarus, in the New Zealand Cup. He paced a very creditable 3:54.9 for the 3200m stand – the same distance as the Auckland Cup.

“Any other year that would have been a New Zealand record so I’m delighted with what he’s done this campaign. He’s won at Alexandra Park before and placed twice from three times over the extreme distance,” Dunn said.

That victory came in the Group One 2014 Woodlands Stud Northern Derby when he and regular pilot Gerard O’Reilly got the better of Locharburn by a neck.

Tiger Tara comes into Friday’s Summer Cup win a third in the New Zealand Free-For-All behind Lazarus and Christen Me. He won the Free-For-All 12 months earlier and then finished third in the Manukau Cup.

He galloped away in last year’s Auckland Cup and finished eighth.

“He’s way better than that. We have seen what he can do since. I think he only has to do things right to be in the money. He’s a 6-year-old now and I feel he’s starting to reach his peak.

“The track won’t pose any problems,” said Dunn.

Tiger Tara finished a three-quarter length second behind Rocker Band and Barry Purdon at the Pukekohe Workouts on Saturday.

They paced the 2050m mobile (right handed) in 2:34 (mile rate 2:00.8) even with final 800m and 400m sprints of 57.5 and 26.8. Arden’s Choice was a neck back in third.

Tiger Tara will be looking to get somewhere near $1 million in earnings once he’s gate-crashed Alexandra Park.

He is the $9 sixth favourite to win the Auckland Cup on the New Zealand TAB's 'Futures' market.

Going into Friday’s Summer Cup he had won 13 of his 51 starts and placed in 21 others for $746,031 in stakes.

He is owned by Dunn, R L Sandford, Mrs J A Sandford, and J S Gould. He was bred by R P Anicich.

Here’s what lies ahead at Alexandra Park during the Auckland Trotting Club’s busiest month:

Friday:

Group Three $30,000 Summer Cup

Group Three $30,000 Caduceus Club Northern Breeders Fillies & Mares Stakes

Friday December 16:

Group Two $75,000 Peter Breckon Memorial Ladyship 3yo Fillies Stakes

Group Two $40,000 Lyell Creek Stakes for the open class trotters

Group One $100,000 Rosslands Queen of Hearts Fillies & Mares Pace

Group Two $50,000 Alabar 3yo Classic

Group Two $40,000 Franklin Cup

Saturday December 31:

Group One $150,00 Alabar Sires Stakes 3yo Fillies Final

Group One $80,000 National Trot

Listed $175,000 PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales 3yo Open

GROUP ONE $250,000 TRILLIAN TRUST AUCKLAND CUP.

Duane Ranger