NZ HARNESS NEWS
Purdon appeal heard Friday
Mark Purdon’s appeal against a 26-day suspension handed down for his drive on Ultimate Machete in the Group 1 Golden Nugget in Perth last week will be heard Friday.
Purdon is appealing both the conviction and the severity of the suspension from stewards in an effort to be able to drive on New Year’s Eve at Auckland and also when Lazarus returns to the track in Western Australia on January 5.
Lothario joins Bob Butt
Smart trotter Lothario has been transferred to the Woodend Beach stable of Bob Butt.
The son of Love You, who hasn’t raced since finishing down the track at the Orari meeting earlier this month hasn’t enjoyed the most fruitful of season after looking like an open class star in the making.
He hasn’t tasted success since a Cup Week double in 2016 when trained by his former trainer, Paul Nairn and his best result since then was a seventh behind Sundons Flyer on Cup Day this year in a lower grade trot.
Foot abscess for Sunny Ruby
Speedy trotting mare Sunny Ruby has been scratched from Sunday’s $50,000 Group 2 Trotters Flying Mile at Cambridge.
Her new trainer, Arna Donnelly, says a foot abscess, which saw her scratched from the Lyell Creek Stakes last week, has caused the same action this time around.
“It’s only minor, but we just wanted to be safe and have her ready for the National Trot next week.”
Donnelly only just took over training Sunny Ruby from fellow Cambridge local David Butcher, who was looking after the daughter of Sundon for her Canterbury trainer and co-owner, Sam Smolenski.
“They decided she needed to be trained on the harder track here at Cambridge because David’s track was a little bit soft for her,” said Donnelly.
“David didn’t have the time to bring her in every day so they asked me if I would look after her.”
NZ Harness News
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