By Michael Guerin
Addington bosses and punters will have to wait to find out whether there will be an Aussie raider in this year’s New Zealand Trotting Cup.
New South Wales trainer Kevin Pizutto is keen to bring last season’s runner-up Tiger Tara back for the great race at Addington on November 14 but possible flight complications could be the problem.
Pizutto says getting Tiger Tara to Addington is not the problem but getting him back to Australia in time for a flight to Perth a few days after the Cup so he can settle in before the Perth Inter Dominions.
“I want to go to both and I will if we can get the right flights,” says Pizutto.
“But I will know by the end of the week and if he goes to Addington, Todd (McCarthy) will come over and drive him.”
Tiger Tara finished second to Lazarus in the Cup last season when trained in Canterbury by Geoff Dunn and while he was beaten by 10 lengths, that still means he beat home Titan Banner, the now-retired Interdom champ Smolda and Have Faith In Me.
He was sold to Pizutto soon after and has been in consistently strong form in Australia racing at the highest level.
While it is doubtful he could beat Lazarus and co in the Cup if he makes it to Addington his $5 place price with the TAB bookies is very fair because his Cup week record is outstanding.
In 2013 he won the Sires’ Stakes Final on Cup Day while two years ago he won the NZ Free-For-All, a race he finished third to Lazarus and Christen Me in last season.
He has run in in the Cup three times before, finishing sixth twice to Adore Me and Arden Rooney.
Now a seven-year-old, Tiger Tara is just over $50,000 off joining pacing’s millionaire club.
Meanwhile, Lazarus and Titan Banner head just seven nominations for Monday’s $50,000 Kaikoura Cup joined by Piccadilly Princess, Waikiki Beach, Buster Brady and the northern pair of Better B Amazed and No Doctor Needed.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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