Racing: Auckland Reactor in doubt for start of Interdominions

Auckland Reactor had to undergo treatment for scouring yesterday. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Auckland Reactor's Interdominion series may be over before it begins.

The one-time pin-up pacer is rated only a 50:50 chance of making the first round of the transplanted Interdominions, which start at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

And should he miss the opening night heat his series will be finished.

Trainer Mark Purdon was floored when he found the one-time favourite for the series scouring badly when he went to work him yesterday morning.

So bad was the 6-year-old that he had to be taken to the Takanini veterinary clinic for treatment.

"He had a very high temperature and didn't look well at all. He looked depressed," Purdon told the Herald.

"He has improved throughout the day and his temperature has come down but I would say at this stage he is 50:50 to start on Friday night."

That decision is likely to be made today, because if Auckland Reactor is not healthy enough for at least strong work he won't be starting Friday.

"Today was supposed to be a workout day for him and he will need to do at least some steady work tomorrow [Tuesday] to have any chance of being ready."

Purdon will not risk Auckland Reactor unless he is confident he will take no harm from the first heat of the series. "He won't be starting unless his fitness and wellbeing is well into the 90 per cent range."

Adding to the blow, Auckland Reactor has drawn perfectly at barrier four in the $40,000 heat and would almost certainly secure good points, which would be enough to get him into the $800,000 final on April 8.

He has, however, drawn the stronger of the two heats, up against Mr Feelgood, Smoken Up, Monkey King, Villagem and Pembrook Benny.

Miracle Mile winner Smoken Up will continue his preparations with a private workout alongside Captain Joy at Alexandra Park today.

The second pacing heat brings together series favourite Themightyquinn (barrier six) and four-time champion Blacks A Fake (seven).

They meet leading Canterbury chances Smiling Shard (two) and Sleepy Tripp (three).

Blacks A Fake has pleased trainer Natalie Rasmussen since arriving in Auckland last Friday and worked well at Barry Purdon's Clevedon property yesterday.

Meanwhile, champion trotting trainer Chris Lang has fared vastly differently with his two series favourites in the draws for the trotting series.

Lang's two-time Interdominion champion Sundon's Gift faces a tricky draw at one on the second line in the opening trotting heat, which, like all Friday's heats, will be over the 2700m mobile.

That will see him forced to come from back in the field against leading New Zealand chance I Can Doosit in a strong heat which also contains Swedish mare Annicka, possible serious surprise package Dr Hook, Raydon, Ima Gold Digger and Springbank Richard.

The last-mentioned has drawn barrier one and trainer Phil Williamson is hopeful of putting a nightmare past 16 months behind him.

"We are still not sure what has been going wrong with him but he seems very well now and he will get his chance this week," said Williamson.

Sundon's Gift's stablemate Let Me Thru will start favourite after drawing barrier three in the second trotting heat. With his high gate speed he looks set to dominate a heat in which Sovereignty has drawn wide.

The final field fixed odds for the opening round of heats are expected out today. Themightyquinn remains the $3.60 favourite to win the final, just inside Mr Feelgood at $3.80.

Let Me Thru is at $4 in the trotting series, ahead of Sundon's Gift at $5.

TROUBLE AGAIN

* Auckland Reactor is sick and could miss the Interdominions.

* A workout this morning is likely to decide whether he starts in Friday night's opening heat.

* The series has been moved from Christchurch to Auckland's Alexandra Park because of last month's earthquake.

* Australian trotter Let Me Thru is set to start the hottest favourite of the opening round heats.