Akutas (Gambler’s delight) New Zealand’s Cup campaign for harness racing has hit a speed bump with the great pacer set to miss Friday’s Lamb and Hayward Canterbury Classic at Addington.
The former Auckland Cup winner was the comeback story of the spring but was found to have phlegm in his throat after failing at Addington last Friday.
Co-trainer Nathan Purdon says Akuta will start treatment straight away and with five runs to his name this spring and plenty of lead-in opportunities left, he can still make it to the IRT-sponsored Cup in Addington on November 11.
“It’s obviously not ideal, but at least we know why he performed below his best,” says Purdon.
Akuta remains a $12 opportunity in the Cup market as the road to the great race has had some surprising twists and turns over the past week involving Leap To Fame and Swayzee.
Team Purdon have already withdrawn Chase A Dream from the NZ Cup, but it was never a particular target for the four-year-old.
“We are very happy with him and he will have a test drive this week and then be ready to race,” says Nathan.
“We’re targeting him at races like the Christian Cullen and the Invercargill Cup, but the [NZ] The cup just comes too soon.”
While they won the $150,000 NZBS Harness Million for two-year-old fillies with Wat Next, the stable was also very unlucky on Friday evening.
Oscar Bonavena returned and never looked like a winning chance in the Worthy Queen Trot but will back up this Friday at Addington while Rubira was locked up three times in the Flying Stakes.
And juvenile pacer Special Occasion also appeared to have a similar mucus problem to Akuta after his eighth-place finish in the NZBS Harness Million, won by Jumal.
Through Michael Guerinfor Harness Racing New Zealand
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