by Michael Howard
After heats across six Australian states and two New Zealand islands the fields are forming for this year’s TAB Breeders Crown.
The two-year-olds have made their play amid a four-night frenzy of Race To Royalty heats in Victoria, which continues with the three-year-olds at Ballarat tonight (fillies) and Bendigo tomorrow night (colts and geldings).
Among the lessons learned is that Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s All Stars camp will bring all three of their New South Wales qualifiers to Bendigo’s August 19 semi-final night.
The trio – Sicario (two-year-old colts and geldings), The More The Better (three-year-old colts and geldings) and Partyon (three-year-old fillies) – are all on the top two lines of betting in futures’ markets.
Of the other two-year-olds, Grant Dixon has indicated his Queensland pair Colt Thirty One (two-year-old colt) and Red Charmer (two-year-old filly) will both pursue Crowns.
Additionally, trainer Ray Green’s Kiwi heat winner King Of Swing is expected to run and try and build on his record of four wins and two seconds from six starts, while fellow New Zealand heat winner Cullenburn won’t make the trip and neither will Brian Hughes’ filly Harpagus, but Barry Ward’s Kiwi filly Angel Of Harlem is expected.
Mike Reed’s two-year-old colt Bechers Brook won’t make the journey from West Australia and fellow Sandgroper Terry Ferguson is weighing up plans with his filly Captured Delight.
Tasmanian gelding War Dan Star and Todd Rattray’s filly Betterthanlife won’t be making the trip. South Australian two-year-old heat winners Tin Roof Raider (Vince Vallelonga) and Goodtime Heaven (Courtney Slater) are both confirmed starters courtesy of their Victorian trainers.
While nominations don’t close until noon on Monday and fields aren’t available until the following morning, it’s likely 19 two-year-old fillies and 20 two-year-old colts and geldings will advance from Victoria’s three heats. That equates to the first six in each heat plus the next quickest finishers.
Of the interstate and international three-year-old colts and gelding heat winners, New Zealand heat winner Big Mach (Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson) is expected but Rishi is considered unlikely, Kevin Brough will nominate South Australian winner Canada Bay and Rock Diamonds (Western Australia) and Scooterwillrev (Tasmania) are both expected in addition to The More The Better (New South Wales). Matthew Neilson has advised Queensland heat winner Rockwith Thedevil won’t attend.
Finally, of the three-year-old fillies’ visitors, neither of the Kiwi winners (Utmost Delight and Rocknroll Nevin) will attend but Partyon (New South Wales), Graphics (South Australia), Better B Chevron (Western Australia) and Lynniemach (Tasmania) are expected.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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