STABLEMATES WITHDRAWN FROM NZ CUP
Canterbury trainer Cran Dalgety has withdrawn 16th-ranked Art Union, and his 23rd-ranked half-brother Alpha Rock from the $800,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup on Tuesday, November 14.
Both were not realistic cup hopes. They will target the fast class junior free-for-all on NZ Cup day instead.
Cran said Art Union had shown no sign of soreness this week, despite a post-race vet examination after last Saturday’s Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup at Addington, suggesting the horse had hip pain.
The vet examination was ordered by stewards after Art Union broke stride following the finish.
The Art Major entire is set to take his place in Sunday’s PGG Wrightson Hannon Memorial at Oamaru and is looking for improvement in his third race after returning from a 20-month layoff. He is to be tried with the addition of sliding blinds on Sunday.
BET ON A RASCAL RETIRED
Bet On A Rascal, a last-start Addington winner of a rating 59-80 pace on September 1 for Amberley trainer Kevin Chapman, and junior driver Sherree Tomlinson, has been retired.
The five-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding was found to have bowed a tendon the following day. This was the second such injury for the lightly-raced pacer, with Chapman calling it quits with horse after four wins from just 17 starts.
“He was a good horse, but wasn’t going to be a cup horse, so there isn’t much point in bringing him back,” Chapman said.
Chapman, who has top pacer Locharburn sidelined with a setback this spring, has picked up placings with good trotter Belles Son in both his starts this month, including a third behind Destiny Jones and Amaretto Sun in last Saturday’s Ordeal Trotting Cup at Addington.
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