Bolt For Brilliance got as short at $1.70 to win the trotting series after an effortless heat win at Ballarat last Saturday and was still a warm favourite even after a luckless second in his Shepparton heat on Tuesday and being outsprinted by Just Believe at Geelong on Saturday.
His injury ends a rough spring for the wonderful horse, but Herlihy and his owners can at least take heart that this time last year, Copy That went to Victoria, fractured a leg and came back to win the New Zealand Cup last month.
Bolt For Brilliance's sad exit means no New Zealand-trained horse will contest the pacing or trotting finals at Melton on Saturday.
Akuta turns back time
Akuta burst on to the scene 18 months ago with a Jewels win that suggested he may go on to greatness.
He took his next steps towards that with a replica performance in the $250,000 New Zealand Derby at Addington's Grand Prix meeting yesterday.
Just like in his Jewels stunner, Akuta came from last and blew his opponents away to end his three-year-old season the same way he finished his two-year-old campaign.
He was suited by missing the early burn but still looked a future major Cups winner in waiting by putting six-and-a-half lengths on Republican Party after being three wide and parked for the last 1200m.
Akuta was one of three Group 1 winners yesterday for owner Ian Dobson, who also has a slot in The Race to be held at Cambridge on April 14, so that becomes the logical autumn target for Akuta.
He was one of five Group 1 winners for trainers Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen, with unbeaten juvenile fillies Millwood Nike (pacer) and High Energy (trotter) their most impressive, while No Matter Wat won them the NZ Oaks in a first Group 1 success for stable junior driver Olivia Thornley.
