KEY POINTS:
Comeback king Sly Flyin is the latest casualty from next month's A$500,000 Hunter Cup.
But even with the Auckland pacer out of the great race New Zealanders dominate the latest betting market.
Sly Flyin will join Blacks A Fake, Be Good Johnny and Mainland Banner as big names who will miss the February 11 feature after being diagnosed with yet another leg problem.
The eight-year-old missed most of last season through injury but returned in heroic style this term, winning a string of northern races before capturing the group one New Zealand Free-For-All at Addington.
It was obvious all was not well with Sly Flyin when he failed the field home in the Flying Mile at Cambridge last start and he needed to perform well at the Pukekohe workouts yesterday to salvage his Australian campaign. But he didn't even make it to the track as he was found to have filling in one of his troublesome legs.
"He definitely won't be going to Australia but we are still hopeful he can make it to the Auckland Cup," said trainer Tony Herlihy. "At this stage it doesn't sound career-threatening but at his age anything can happen because he has a lot of wear and tear.
"So for now he will stick to some swimming and beach work and we can only hope he comes right."
Sly Flyin would have been close to favourite for the Hunter Cup had he arrived in Melbourne at his peak, especially as he had not been handicapped in the race.
That honour now lies with Tribute after his gutsy fourth in last Saturday night's Interdominion Final in Adelaide.
Tribute was three wide for the last 1200m yet still ran fourth, with trainer Tim Butt suggesting the 3050m standing start Hunter was an even better option.
Australian bookmakers agree, opening Tribute a loose $8 favourite last night, ahead of Interdom runner-up Winforu at $9.
New Zealand Cup winner Flashing Red, who has been under a cloud since failing a pre-race test in Adelaide two weeks ago, shares the $10 line with Foreal.
Flashing Red is expected to clash with that Kiwi trio in the Ballarat Cup on February 3, with his run there determining whether he heads to Moonee Valley for the Hunter.
While Blacks A Fake and Be Good Johnny were never expected to start in the Hunter there is also doubts over one-time favourite Robin Hood after his pathetic performance in last Saturday's Interdom final.
He raced 100m below his best and will have further blood tests on Friday before a decision on his immediate future is made.
New Zealand's assault on the Hunter starts at Shepparton on Saturday night where Mighty Cullen faces a 10m handicap in the A$40,000 Shepparton Cup.
The winner receives automatic entry into the Hunter Cup, for which Mighty Cullen is at $21, and while his best races come when he is handy to the pace that may be achievable because he is a fast beginner wide on the 10m mark with only three horses off the front.
He will be driven by Herlihy, who has his own stable representative Fergiemack in the easiest of the three heats of the Victoria Derby.
He will start a hot favourite after managing to dodge Australian superstar Lombo Pocket Watch, who starts from the outside of the second line in a very strong heat featuring last Saturday's South Australian Derby winner Lively Exit.
The other Kiwi in the series, Days Of Courage, faces a wide front line draw in the first Derby heat.
While Sly Flyin won't be heading to Australia any time soon, New Zealand's chances of group one glory at the Victorian summer carnival are likely to be boosted by a change of plans from premier trotting trainer Phil Williamson.
The southern maestro is now likely to send exciting mare One Over Kenny to contest the A$150,000 Australasian Trotting Champs, which consist of heats at Ballarat on February 3 before the final on February 11.
Williamson originally intended to spell the Dominion Handicap runner-up but was talked into tackling the Champs, for which One Over Kenny will get a front line handicap against a weak open class crop of trotters.
