News Briefs
Partyon scratched from Ladyship Mile.
Poor bloodwork has seen pre-post third favourite Partyon scratched from Saturday night’s A$200,000 Ladyship Mile at Menangle.
Co-trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen made the decision on Tuesday after getting bloods done on their entire Sydney team.
The combination still has defending champion Piccadilly Princess in the race and she is rated a $9.50 fourth favourite behind Ameretto ($1.90).
They also won the race in 2015 with grand mare Adore Me, who ran a then-record 1.47.7 mile.
No Doctor Needed back in town
Open class pacer No Doctor Needed has once again returned to the South Auckland stables of Steve Telfer.
He headed for his second Australian stint in November after racing in the New Zealand Cup, but has returned home after a fruitless four-start campaign in Sydney that turned up one fourth.
The two upcoming Free For Alls at Alexandra Park in early March are the first targets, but he is in a race against time for the first one, The Founders Cup ($30,000) on March 2.
“I’m going to nominate for next Friday at Auckland, but I’ll take him to the trials at Pukekohe on Tuesday and decide if he’s ready,” said Telfer.
“He seems really happy and well and looks great, but until we get a line on him at the trials, we won’t really know.”
Have Faith In Me injured in USA
The American career of Have Faith In Me is off to a bad start with the former New Zealand Horse of the Year having to undergo surgery.
After being noticeably lame in a light jog at his new stables, that of New York trainer Al Annunziata, a fracture in a hind leg was diagnosed.
Surgery was successful on what was described as a ‘clean’ break and he is expected to make it back to the track later in the year.
Have Faith In Me swept all before him in the 2015/16 season, winning the Auckland Cup, Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile.
- NZ Harness News
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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