Horse Racing: Wolfendens lose Interdominion battle

By Michael Guerin

Agua Caliente is forcing training legend Peter Wolfenden into a corner.

The one-day Interdominion favourite was withdrawn from the series yesterday after failing to recover from a viral infection that struck him down after a blistering first night heat win.

The infection worked its way down to Agua Caliente's legs, causing them to swell up, and it was obvious when he worked yesterday he could not compete in tomorrow night's final heat.

"It is very disappointing for us and the owners but horses are like that," Wolfenden said matter-of-factly.

Wolfenden and his son Glen, who drives Agua Caliente, worked round the clock on their exceptional pacer but would have had to work him to the satisfaction of the stipendiary stewards today to be allowed a start tomorrow night.

The setback is the latest volume in the book of Agua Caliente's catastrophes and means the Wolfendens may finally have to look at taking their star to Australia.

In the past they have been loathe to travel Agua Caliente, with Peter Wolfenden believing the muscular gelding's dodgy legs would not be suited to racing on the tight Australian tracks.

"But there is nothing left here for him this season and we might look at the big races coming up in Sydney and Brisbane if he comes back to full health quickly."

The $A150,000 Ben Hur in Sydney on April 30 looks the most tempting target in what would be a major turnaround for Wolfenden, who has only campaigned one horse in Australia in the past decade.

The good news is Agua Caliente's health is expected to improve quickly, with his withdrawal from the series meaning he can be treated with antibiotics that could not be used while he was racing.

Final before the final


Sir Vancelot's unlucky first night heat run has set up a mini-Grand Final tomorrow night.

The all-mile heats have the night shaping at the greatest speed explosion New Zealand harness racing has seen.

The Auckland Trotting Club could have been excused for wanting to keep series favourites Sir Vancelot and Bogan Fella away from each other to build Grand Final hype.

But instead they clash in a heat which should, along with Saturday night's barrier draw, decided Grand Final favouritism.

The unfortunate clash came about because although Sir Vancelot is the series favourite, he is well down in the points after his first-night eighth when he didn't receive a clear run.

"We compile the fields to unbiasedly spread the top points scorers around and it just happened that Sir Vancelot, being in the middle of the points, ended up in the same heat as Bogan Fella, who shares the top of the table," said ATC racing boss Robert Death.

The draws favour Bogan Fella, who although he starts from five at the tricky mile start, has the gate speed to cross average front line opponents, while Sir Vancelot will have to come from the second line.