Addington’s loss could still prove to be the Inter Dominions gain with outstanding mare Amazing Dream.
The Auckland Cup heroine has been pulled out of next month’s IRT New Zealand Cup after a battling effort after leading in last Saturday’s Victoria Cup at Bendigo.
“She was ok but not up to her best and I couldn’t ask her owners to send her to the New Zealand Cup on that,” said young trainer Nathan Purdon.
“She was only a slight chance of going anyway but that ended that hope and we will find her different targets now.”
The biggest of those could be the Inter Dominion series in New South Wales, which starts at Menangle on November 27 and then heads to Bathurst, Newcastle and then back to the final at Menangle on December 11.
“I had a good talk to Gordon Banks (co-owner) in the States last night and they are keen on the Inters if I can go with her,” says Purdon.
“That will of course depend on whether the border is open between Victoria and New South Wales and I can travel without having to quarantine there or back.”
“If that happens then it could be back on the cards for her as she would love the series.”
As we all know dealing with Covid such things are very fluid so Purdon has options like the Bendigo Cup and Queen Of The Pacific in mind for Amazing Dream and then, if she didn’t go to the Inters, she could contest the Breeders Crown four-year-old mares series.
“I can’t see her going in both because the Breeders Crown and the Inters because the final of the Breeders is quite close to the start of the Inters.”
Amazing Dream (Bettor’s Delight) will eventually be exported to North America to race but that is looking likely to not be until next year now.
Purdon was more disappointed with former Kiwi pacer American Dealer in Saturday’s Victoria Derby and admits the Queensland Derby winner has been hard to get a handle on because he is so lazy in track work.
“But he is obviously way better than he showed last week so I will try and get him back to his best for the Breeders Crown.”
Former Kiwi pacer Burnham Boy, who battled into a place in a R95 race at Menangle on Saturday night, was also pulled out of the Cup by Kevin Pizzuto on Monday.
by Michael Guerin