NZ HARNESS NEWS
HEAVEN Rocks opened Ballarat Cup favourite, but it only took a few minutes for a deluge of money on Vincent to change that.
When the Aussie TAB opened betting on Tuesday morning, Heaven Rocks was $2.10 from gate one and Vincent second elect at $2.60.
Within 10 minutes, more than $A10,000 had been bet on Vincent and he was into $1.80. Heaven Rocks was out to $3.
Such is the buzz and hype around Vincent, key rivals like Emma Stewart’s emerging star Shadow Sax ($3.80 to $4.50) and Lennytheshark ($9 out to $12) are third and fourth favourites.
Drivers are yet to be confirmed, but Purdon and partner, Natalie Rasmussen, will be aboard their two runners.
Vincent has already proven himself in the open-class big league with Auckland Cup win, but this looks a bigger challenge from wide draw against a stronger line-up than he faced at Alexandra Park.
And which Heaven Rocks will turn-up, especially from a seemingly less-than-ideal barrier one? Stablemates Shadow Sax (gate two) and Major Secret (four) both have plenty of gate speed and will be buzzing out early.
Shadow Sax heads into the race – at his home track – with wins at his past seven starts, including a dominant display after sitting parked in quick times in last Saturday night’s Group 1 South Australian Cup.
But this is another step-up for him, that’s for sure.
And what about Lennytheshark? He’s drawn inside the back row, behind Heaven Rocks, at his first start since the Perth Inter Dominion final at Gloucester Park on December 9.
Lennytheshark has a fantastic fresh-up record. His past five first-up runs from spells have netted three wins, a second and a third.
Interesting, the third was behind Smolda and Lazarus in last year’s Ballarat Cup and the second was behind Smolda on the 2016 Ballarat Cup.
Purdon is chasing his fourth Ballarat Cup win after Smolda the past two years and Highview Tommy in 2012.
It’s also worth noting Kiwi raiders have won five of the past seven Ballarat Cups, the others being Mah Sish (2013) and Stunin Cullen (2011).
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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