Horse Racing: Interdominions survive important test

By Michael Guerin

The Alexandra Park Interdominions survived one of its toughest tests yesterday.

The glamour series starting on March 5 lost one big name when second withdrawals were taken yesterday but most of the big guns are still coming to Auckland.

Victoria Cup winner Holmes D G was the only real contender to drop out, with his loss almost certain from the time he finished fifth in last Saturday's Hunter Cup.

Other serious Grand Circuit contenders to drop out yesterday were the Justin Warwick-trained pair of Allwood's Chief and Ted Barry but neither had been racing well enough to be potential Grand Final winners.

So that leaves series favourite Christian Cullen and Iraklis still in the running as well as most of the other key local contenders.

The Auckland Trotting Club also picked up an unexpected bonus from Western Australia when a sustaining payment was made for outstanding Aussie mare Tailamade Lombo.

She had been rated only a slim chance to make the trip but owner Mick Lombardo has now indicated he may change his mind with the Miracle Mile runner-up and Australian Derby winner.

The trotters' series is looking even stronger, with talented local Kipper Dee the only major name to pull out after suffering a leg injury.

That leaves 50 pacers, including 16 from Australia, still in contention and 41 trotters, with six Australian square-gaiters possible.

Yesterday's withdrawals did little to change the TAB market as Holmes D G had already been listed as doubtful but Christian Cullen moved in slightly to $1.80, with Iraklis at $6 and Bogan Fella at $8. Dual defending champion Our Sir Vancelot remains at $10.

Buster Hanover will open favourite for the trotters today at $3.75, just ahead of stablemate Merinai at $4 and Cedar Fella at $4.50.

Buster Hanover and yet another stablemate Sundon's Way will remain in Melbourne for a $A50,000 mobile mile next week before returning home while Mark Purdon hopes to get at least one start in to Merinai before the series.

Cedar Fella, who has not raced since winning the Dominion Handicap, will go into the series fresh, with two or three trials to help get him ready.

Stroppy Noopy moves to Kumeu

The owners of former brilliant Australian trotter Noppy Kiosk have called in the experts to try and resurrect their fallen star.

Noopy Kiosk was rated Australia's greatest young trotter when he went on a record smashing spree as a 3-year-old, giving away massive starts yet still winning easily almost every time he raced.

Even last year he still looked capable of fulfilling that promise when he won a heat of last season's Interdominion series at Harold Park.

But since then Noopy's best runs have been few and far between and his ferocious stallion temper has been flaring up.

So in a radical move he will join the Kumeu stable of Dave Gibbons in an effort to get him back to his best for the Interdoms.

Gibbons has long been regarded as a great trainer of trotters, producing an army of super square- gaiters over the past 30 years, having as many as five open class trotters at one time.

But he has his work cut out with his latest challenge.

Noopy Kiosk failed to return a dividend during the summer carnival at Moonee Valley and was beaten in a lowly trot at Terang on Tuesday night.

Not to mention he has back problems and doesn't trot that well right-handed.

If Gibbons can work a miracle Noopy Kiosk has the ability to repay him.

Purdon on the mend

Training legend Roy Purdon is recovering well after heart bypass surgery in Auckland on Tuesday.

The most respected man in New Zealand harness racing suffered a recurrence last week of the heart problem that bothered him late last year.

And while in typical Roy Purdon fashion he tried to downplay it he was convinced that the operation was his only avenue.

Purdon is expected to be in hospital until the middle of next week but his family and doctor are pleased with the operation.

"He is still pretty tired but glad to have the operation over and done with and we are happy with the way he is feeling," said Purdon's wife Margaret.