Horse racing: Superstar trotter out of Dominion Trot

Bolt for Brilliance. Photo / Supplied

Superstar northern trotter Bolt For Brilliance is out of Friday’s Dominion Trot after being found to have a respiratory infection after his failure at Addington yesterday.

But trainer Tony Herlihy is still hopeful of getting him to the Inter Dominions start in Victoria on November 26.

For the second time in eight days, Bolt For Brilliance finished unplaced as a favourite, not showing his usual stamina after racing parked for the last 800m of the Worthy Queen Trot won by Majestic Man.

Herlihy knew that was too bad to be true and ordered a veterinary inspection that showed the Rowe Cup winner had mucus in his airway.

“The vet seemed to think that with treatment it will clear up pretty quickly but he definitely can’t start on Friday,” said Herlihy.

“So we will take him home (Auckland) and see how is when we get back there but we still have two weeks to get him to Australia to compete in the Inters so I haven’t given up on that.”

While Bolt For Brilliance didn’t do a lot for favourite punter’s sense of humour the leading market chances won all the major pacing races, with Copy That in the Cup joined by True Fantasy in the Nevele R Fillies Final, Don’t Stop Dreaming in the Sires’ Stakes Final and Republican Party in the Junior Free-For-All.

True Fantasy was back to her best after a frustrating spring while Don’t Stop Dreaming won the Sires’ Stakes as expected but in the most unexpected fashion.

He led but was actually beaten for speed at the 800m by key rival Merlin who wrested the lead off him, only for Don’t Stop Dreaming to come back up the passing lane to beat him, with a luckless Sherlock runner-up.

Republican Party’s effortless win in the Junior Free-For-All might be enough to earn him a start against the NZ Cup stars in the NZ Free-For-All on Friday.