Cyclone Coming?

A strong performance at Cambridge tonight could promote Cyclone Chief to being the dark horse of the New Zealand assault on the Breeders Crown.

The rest of the Kiwi team for the $1.5million raceday at Melton on August 30 are already in Victoria, with superstar pacers like Waikiki Beach and The Orange Agent racing in semi finals at Ballarat on Saturday night.

But Cyclone Chief needs to please trainer-driver Todd MacFarlane in a $7000 trot on Thursday night to book his berth on the plane.

The leggy three-year-old would revert to racing in the two-year-old series should he head to Australia and his win against older trotters at Alexandra Park last Friday suggests as long as handles tonight’s conditions the trip would be worthwhile.

“The reason he is in this race is because the conditions are similar to what he would race over at Melton, a mobile start, left-handed,” said MacFarlane.

“I think he can win this week because he is a good young horse but even if he got beaten but still went well then we would look at going.”

MacFarlane’s interest in the Breeders Crown has been boosted because the young trotters are now split by sex, meaning Cyclone Chief wouldn’t have to race class fillies High Gait and Missandei, with fellow NZ trotter Conon Bridge the male division favourite. Cyclone Chief won the northern male trotter’s heat.

“Not having to take on those fillies would be a huge help so we are keen to go at this stage but Thursday night will tell us a lot more.”
 Cyclone Chief steps up from maidens last Friday and meets some handy older trotters again, including class three and four rivals.