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Bit Of A Yarn

Christian Cullen among the stars on big Friday night


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It’s Friday night and there is no shortage of racing action on at Addington and Auckland.

Alexandra Park will host its first 12-race card on a Friday night since April 2017 while Addington’s Derby race night will feature three Group 1s – the Garrards Pacing and Trotting Derbies and the brand new The Christian Cullen. 

Just weeks after his 30th birthday, the champion pacer himself will make a guest appearance. The million dollar earner will lead out the field for the race named after him, the $200,000 The Christian Cullen for the 4YO Pacers at 7.53pm.

Don’t Stop Dreaming heading for the front in The Christian Cullen 

By Michael Guerin

Nathan Purdon says there is only one tactic for Don’t Stop Dreaming in tonight’s first running of the $200,000 The Christian Cullen at Addington.

And they are the exact tactics the great champion pacer himself employed so many times: lead and stay there.

Co-trainer Purdon says he and Blair Orange will be heading for the front after Don’t Stop Dreaming drew barrier 1 and most importantly arch rival Merlin drew barrier six of the seven starters.

There has rarely been much between the pair but for the majority of 2024 Merlin has had the better of Don’t Stop Dreaming, most notably in the $1million Race by Grins when he came from the one-one to beat him.

But if Don’t Stop Dreaming leads this week in a race that lacks the depth to have real pressure, Merlin may be forced to sit outside him the last 1000m to beat him.

That is how Merlin won the NZ Free-For-All last start so it isn’t impossible but Don’t Stop Dreaming was allowed to miss that race after his oh-so-close second to Swayzee in the New Zealand Cup three days earlier.

“We learned last year with Akuta after he chased Swayzee home in the Cup then ran three or four lengths below his best in the Free-For-All that we didn’t need to do that again,” explains Nathan.

“But he is very well and missing the race did him some good. We took him into Addington last Saturday and he worked great.

“I think he is exactly where he needs to be and we want to lead and if Merlin or any of the others beat him then they will have been too good.”

The TAB has Don’t Stop Dreaming as a $1.75 favourite with Merlin at $2.20.

Later in the night the NZ Derby is a clash of those same two stables at the top of the market as Nathan and Mark Purdon have Chase A Dream and Vessem up against Better Knuckle Up and Jeremiah for the Merlin camp.

While Chase A Dream has been beaten fair and square in his last two starts Nathan expects a better performance tonight.

“I think he has needed the racing and you will see a better horse this week,” he warns.

The rematch – Oscar Bonavena vs Muscle Mountain in The Worthy Queen 

By Michael Guerin

Driver Ben Hope doesn’t regret the tactics that might have cost Muscle Mountain last Sunday’s Trotters Green Mile at Methven and hopes that may even pay dividends at Addington tonight. 

The giant trotter meets arch rival Oscar Bonavena in Worthy Queen Trot in which they both face 20m backmarks over 2000m, not an easy thing to overcome.

Oscar Bonavena has had much the better of their meetings in the South Island over the last year including winning the NZ Free-For-All last month after Muscle Mountain led two starts ago and then reversing those tactics last Sunday at Methven when Oscar led throughout.

With the gate speed Oscar Bonavena showed last Sunday, Muscle Mountain would have been flat out trying to cross him anyway but Hope reveals that ended up not being his plan anyway.

“Mum and Dad and I had a talk before the race and we decided he didn’t have to lead,” explains Hope.

“I drove him hard like that to try and beat Just Believe in the free-for-all at Addington and we didn’t want to do that again so when Oscar went off the gate that fast I wasn’t going to burn early chasing him.

“We agreed he doesn’t need to have that sort of run every start and he actually went great so we were really proud of him.

“And we hope that gives him some confidence for this week, the way he hit the line so well.”

Oscar Bonavena is currently at $2.50, with Muscle Mountain at $2.80. 

It will be standing start manners rather than gate speed that could decide tonight’s race as whoever out of Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain steps in front of the other possibly getting a tactical advantage.

“He can step quickly when he gets it right and should be better for that run last Sunday so if we have some luck he can turn the tables,” says Hope.

Oscar Bonavena is flying though and finally looks back to the form that won him Trotter of the Year last season.

He will have a bit change this week after co-trainer Nathan Purdon changed bits last Sunday to allow driver Blair Orange to use Oscar’s gate speed.

“It worked as he showed great gate speed but it was also why he got pulling a bit in the middle stages so we will revert to his old, stronger bit this week which should help keep him more relaxed.”

While the pair dominate the market it is still no small feat to overcome a 20m handicap to win a decent race over 2000m at Addington, albeit one helped by the small field.

Butt to debut talented pair at Alexandra Park tonight 

By Brigette Solomon   

Woodend based trainer and driver Bob Butt arrived in Auckland on Monday with two horses, Princess Meritaten and Gold Bullion, who both make their Alexandra Park debuts in tonight’s feature pace and trot.

“It will be the first time racing right handed for both of them, but I can’t see it being a problem,” says Butt, “they’ve worked well that way round and have been racing good lately.”

Princess Meritaten will be Butt’s first runner of the evening, competing in the Group 3 Caduceus Club Northern Breeders Stakes Mobile Pace, a race Butt won with Manhattan in 2022.

“It’s a bit of a tricky draw tonight (9) but she should go a good race and it gives her a run at Auckland before heading into the Group 1 Queen Of Hearts next week which is the main target,” said Butt.

From just 12 starts, the talented Princess Meritaten has won six races and placed second on four occasions. Her campaign to date includes a fresh up win in September, before placing second behind Mantra Blue in the Group 2 Mares Spring Sprint Classic at Addington, followed by a Group 2 win in the Mid Canterbury Trotting Owners Ladies Sprint at Ashburton in late October.

Her most recent race was in the Listed Bob McArdle Sires Stakes Southern Mares Classic at Addington was a tough effort where she finished fifth after being three wide early, before moving forward to sit parked for the remainder of the race, battling on into fifth place.

Meanwhile Gold Bullion will contest the $40,000 Thames Members Handicap Trot over 2700 metres off a 20 metre handicap.

“Like with the mare, his main target will be the listed trot next week with tonight a chance for him to get a race into him this way round,” says Butt, “It was a nice win last start though, and he should go alright tonight.”

Gold Bullion starts tonight off the back of a confident win at Addington on show day where he was driven quietly back in the field before making his run three wide from the 600 metre mark to comfortably round up the field and hit the front by the top of the straight and drawing clear to maintain his lead and win by 1.5 lengths.

The Father Patrick gelding out of dual Group 3-winning mare Gold Chain has always shown ability, but manners have occasionally let him down. He has however performed consistently well this campaign, with a win and several placings from a handful of starts and his manners have been solid.

Butt is also engaged to drive the Derek and Adele Jones trained mare Eurostyle, who starts in the TAB Queen Of Diamonds Prelude Handicap Trot for Fillies and Mares tonight. The mare was a winner of The Dark Horse Mares Handicap Trot at Group 3 level in October, and most recently finished third in the Group 2 Grand Duchess Mares Handicap Trot at Addington.

“We sent her up to Brian and Gareth Hughes place while targeting the Queen of Diamonds,” says co-trainer Derek Jones, “by all reports she’s very bright and happy but it will be her first start right handed so that’s always a question mark, although we’ve made some minor gear changes to help adjust her to that way of going.”

The 12-race meeting gets underway with Race one at 5.24pm.

 

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