NZ HARNESS NEWS
November’s New Zealand Cup looks set for a further boost from across the ditch.
Connections of Queensland pacer Alleluia are expected to pay the late entry fee by Wednesday’s cut off to propel the half-a-million-dollar earner in to contention.
“We are 99 percent sure we are going to pay it,” said owner Greg Mitchell on Thursday.
“Addington have today given us an indicative rating that suggests we would currently be in the top 15.
“He’s down to race this Saturday night and if he comes through that well, we’ll make the payment.”
The Grant Dixon-trained pacer placed third in July’s Group 1 $200,000 Blacks A Fake, a Grand Circuit event won by Let It Ride.
Subsequent to that, he has won his last four starts at Albion Park in impressive fashion.
“Hopefully we can get there because it looks to be an open Cup this year,” said Mitchell.
Plans are yet to be finalised, but it is likely Alleluia will only start in the Cup and, potentially, Show Day’s New Zealand Free For All with no lead-up runs in his former homeland.
“We’ll come over a week or ten days prior, via Sydney and Auckland.”
Other Australian-trained horses nominated for the race are Chicago Bull, Tiger Tara, Bettormatch while Cruz Bromac recently transferred to Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s Rolleston stable.
Purdon and Rolleston were the original trainers of Alleluia, his last start for them coming at the 2014 edition of the Harness Jewels, at Cambridge.
Since then, the now eight-year-old has gone on to win 33 races and AU$515,159.
- NZ Harness News
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