On the same day the stable landed four of the first five draws in next Tuesday’s $800,000 New Zealand Trotting Cup, two All Stars runners had their final public hit outs in the official Cup Trial at Addington.
And it was Cruz Bromac who sprinted home the best to win the 2600-metre workout, doing everything right for co-trainer Mark Purdon, who will drive him in the big dance next week.
It was a relatively-sedate trial that featured five of the 15 horses slated to context next week’s time-honoured feature, the others being northerner Jack’s Legend, Forgotten Highway, the winner’s stablemate Eamon Maguire and A G’s White Socks.
Cruz Bromac held comfortably at the line, home in 27.1 ahead of stablemate Spankem while Jack’s Legend and Forgotten Highway got home well for the next placings.
A G’s White Socks was last, not far from the winner, but of concern for trainers Greg and Nina Hope will be the fact he galloped away from the standing start again.
Half an hour earlier, four-year-old trotter Winterfell, who is still nominated for Friday week’s Dominion Handicap, won the feature trotting trial, defeating the pacemaker Pres The Belle and McLovin.
Speeding Spur, the favourite for next week’s two Group 1 features, worked home nicely from a rearward position for fifth, along with Lemond.
The latter has drawn the ace in Tuesday’s $100,000 New Zealand Trotting Free For All and is a clear $4.80 second pop behind his northern counterpart ($1.65).
Missing from the Trotting Free For All, but likely to run in the Dominion three days later are Group 1 performers Great Things Happen, Harriet Of Mot, Marcoola and Temporale.
Wednesday’s New Zealand Cup draw saw Australian visitor Tiger Tara, who landed in the country on Wednesday morning, drift from $3.50 pre-draw out to $3.80 after drawing slot 13 behind the tapes.
Thefixer, who drew barrier one, tumbled in to from $5 to $4.20 while his stablemates Cruz Bromac and Dream About Me also shortened in with front-line draws.
Robert Dunn, who operates barns in Pukekohe (Auckland) and Woodend Beach (North Canterbury) will have five runners in the Cup, equaling the record set by Mark Purdon in 2012.
It came about after late withdrawals saw Billy Badger and Zadaka gain starts, joining establish Spring performers Alta Orlando, Letspendanitetogetha and Captain Dolmio.
In the third Group 1 on Cup Day, boom three-year-old colt Ultimate Sniper drew the second line in the $170,000 Sires Stakes Series Final, following out stablemate A Bettor Act.
Bookies weren’t perturbed by the draw, opening him at $1.60, ahead of stablemate Jesse Duke ($5.20).
