Racing: Baileys Dream out of action

Top trotter Sovereignty is preparing for Addington. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Brendon Hill's greatest fears with Baileys Dream have come true, with the open-class pacer to miss most of this season at best.

Scans of Baileys Dream's problem leg have revealed damage which means the giant pacer is definitely out for the summer and could even miss the rest of the season.

"We had a feeling it might be this way but it is a real shame," said the Canterbury horseman of the injury, which flared up last week.

There was at least some joy for Hill, though, with New Zealand Cup hero Monkey King warming up for his comeback race this Friday with a win at the Rangiora workouts on Saturday.

He beat Georgetown and Power Of Tara in a 2600m mobile trial, pacing his last 400m in 57.1 seconds.

He resumes in the Avon City Ford Cup at Addington on Friday night and the enormity of the task facing him was evident in a later heat at Saturday's workouts.

Race rival Stunin Cullen lived up to his name when he won the main 2600m standing-start workout by more than eight lengths, pacing his final 800m in 54.8 seconds, his last 400m in 27.2.

Meanwhile, Cambridge trainer Sean McCaffrey has not given up on the New Zealand Cup meeting with the forgotten horse of open-class trotting, Sovereignty. The Cambridge trotter missed most of last season when a mystery soreness saw him lose form over the summer.

Before that, the former Harness Jewels winner had pushed Springbank Richard close when second in the Dominion Handicap during NZ Cup week last year.

He has been sound in his work so far this preparation and McCaffrey says he will know next month whether a return to Addington is on.

"He will tell us whether he is going to be ready or not," said McCaffrey.

"At the moment, all seems fine with him but we still never really got to the bottom of what his problem was last season. But we are hoping time heals all ills and he is over it.

"If he comes up quickly and seems bullet-proof, then cup week might be on but waiting for the northern races in December might be the more likely option."

McCaffrey will debut the best-bred horse at today's Alexandra Park meeting when Con Spirito kicks off his career in race one.

The half-brother to Skyvalley and Allegro Agitato has taken time but McCaffrey says he is better than the maiden grade he races in today.

"He is already good enough to win a couple of races and I think he will keep improving."