KEY POINTS:
The open class future of $3.5million pacer Auckland Reactor has been derailed with the wonder colt certain to not race again until next year.
That is the shock suggested path after a long veterinary examination on the unbeaten superstar yesterday.
Auckland Reactor was forced out of the Harness
Jewels two weeks ago by a mystery soreness problem which is thought to have been caused by a damaged nerve in his neck.
And now trainer Mark Purdon cannot be confident the injury will not have long-range repercussions.
"He may well be fine long-term but we are not 100 per cent sure about that," said Purdon.
"It is very much a case of wait and see and at this stage all plans for when he races next are up in the air. The New Zealand Cup is definitely out."
Auckland Reactor is thought to have damaged his neck or back when becoming cast in his stable nearly three weeks ago.
While he was unable to pace at any speed soon after suffering the injury he quickly improved and Purdon was confident he would start his winter break in perfect health.
Until yesterday.
That was when an examination, including tricky neck x-rays, by a veterinary professor suggested the nerve damage could linger if Auckland Reactor were not given a three-month complete break from training.
That starts today, with six weeks of being confined to his stable, with the exception of a daily walk, and after that time he will spend at least another six weeks in the paddock.
"It will be close to October by the time he starts any sort of work and all those big races before Christmas are obviously gone," said Purdon.
"Once he starts getting back up to speed we will let him tell us when he is ready but there will be no plans or any specific races we will set him for because we don't want to put him under any pressure."
The professor who examined Auckland Reactor said that, while the injury may have no long-term effects, he could not be sure.
"He said he was optimistically hopeful," said Purdon.
The timing could hardly be worse for Auckland Reactor's new owners.
The North American-based syndicate paid $3.5million for the freakish pacer just two weeks before the Jewels, a record for a New Zealand standardbred.
Not only was he a hot favourite to win his division of the Jewels but his times this season suggested he would have slotted straight into the open class ranks next season.
The New Zealand Cup is expected to be at least $1million next season and now Australian stayer Safari is no longer coming and his fellow Aussies are staying home because of quarantine restrictions, Auckland Reactor would have been the early favourite.
That could have led to a Miracle Mile invite, possibly the Victoria Cup and assaults on the Interdominions and World Cup of Pacing.
Most of those races are definitely off the menu while the last two become unlikely because Auckland Reactor will have virtually no open class experience by that stage. Purdon is hoping for brighter news at Alexandra Park tomorrow where he lines up Eye For An Eye and Ohoka Utah, who will both start favourite in their races.
Eye For Eye has drawn the ace in the $100,000 NHT Sales Series Pace, the final six-figure race of the season.
He won well last week and has to be hard to beat again, said Purdon.
"And I think Ohoka Utah should win. He has the gate speed to lead and be hard to catch."
BAD REACTION
* Auckland Reactor will not race again this year.
* The champion 3-year-old will spend the next three months away from training.
* That means he will miss the New Zealand Cup and possibly most of the open class season.
* The unbeaten pacer was purchased last month for a record $3.5million.