NZ HARNESS NEWS
Northern three-year-old star King Of Swing has freshened nicely since his Breeders Crown triumph in Melbourne and will likely contest a NZ Sires Stakes heat at Cambridge next Thursday.
Pukekohe trainer Ray Green said on Monday that the son of Rocknroll Hanover (six wins in eight starts, $190,000) would trial at Pukekohe on Saturday, then run at Cambridge.
After that he will race in the north and then head down to NZ Cup week for the $170,000 Sires Stakes Final at Addington on November 14.
King Of Swing made a huge impression when he won the $NZ302,000 2YO Breeders Crown final on August 27 at Melton, beating Aussie stars Poster Boy and Colt Thirty One.
Green said the trip away has done the horse a power of good.
“I think the trip away woke him up a little bit. He was always a pretty laid-back sort of a horse and it’s got him fired up a bit, which is good.
“He had a week-and-a-half off when he got home. He’s going good in work and is a lovely horse and does whatever you want.’’
No horse has won the Breeders Crown-Sires Stakes double, but Green says his charge deserves a shot at it.
“There is so much money for three-year-olds now. There’s a lot of opportunities with about five Derbies including Australia. We will press on and he’ll tell us if he’s getting tired. He’s thriving at the moment.’’
He said last Friday’s impressive Alexandra Park three-year-old winner Recco Lover (two wins) will also go to the Cambridge Sires heat, while Royal Lincoln (three wins) might wait until the second heat at Auckland on October 27.
Green is looking forward to King Of Swing’s potential clashes with the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained three-year-olds, including Spankem, The Devils Own and Jewels winner Ashley Locaz.
“He’s never been further back than second and in a couple of those races it was only green-ness that beat him. His record is pretty good but he hasn’t met any of those early standout horses.
“David (driver Butcher) said to me after he won his Breeders Crown heat that he is better than we thought he was. He’s improving all the time.’’
Green has sent Vasari (five wins) to NSW trainer Paul Fitzpatrick, where he started off as a CO, and might send Northview Hustler (five wins) shortly.
“It’s an international business now. If they had a bridge I’d be trucking over there every day,’’ he quipped.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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