Racing: Northern pacers give left-handed Cup track a miss

Peter Ferguson

The northern assault of the New Zealand Trotting Cup has almost halved in size after a disastrous weekend for the region's best pacers.

Four big-name northern pacers have dropped out of cup calculations in the last few days, joining last season's runner-up, Alta Serena, on the sidelines for the Addington classic on November 14.

While the withdrawal of Myron through injury was expected, the loss of Mi Muchacho, Mr Bojangles and Wiatfornoone will rob the northern challenge of depth.

Mi Muchacho's trainer Richard Anderson has conceded his gallant grey can not get a handle on left-handed racing after another dismal performance at the Cambridge workouts on Saturday.

He couldn't down weak opposition, prompting Anderson to say he won't be booking his tickets for Addington.

"He simply isn't as comfortable that way around," said Anderson of last season's Auckland Cup winner.

"I have one more trick up my sleeve to try with him, thinking right outside the square, but in all likelihood I will pull him out of the race this week."

That virtually brings to an end Mi Muchacho's career left-handed, leaving him with Alexandra Park features like the Auckland and Franklin Cups as his main aims.

It also caps a horror weekend for regular driver Peter Ferguson, who lost both his New Zealand Cup drives.

Ferguson's second stringer for Addington was Waifornooone, who was a brave second to Sly Flyin at Alexandra Park last Friday.

But trainer Michelle Wallis says that wasn't enough to convince her the mare was ready for the New Zealand Cup.

"She isn't quite as good left-handed at this stage and I don't think the New Zealand Cup is the right time to be testing her that way," said Wallis. "So she will stay home and concentrate on the Queen of Hearts in December."

Mr Bojangles would have struggled to make the cup after galloping in his last two outings, lapses which trainer-driver Maurice McKendry says prove the class pacer is not right.

"I can't work out what is wrong with him but we will ease up on him for a while."

The bizarre weekend leaves three northern pacers - Baileys Dream, Sly Flyin and Winforu - certain of cup spots, with Badlands Bute and Napoleon on the cusp.

Napoleon missed a golden opportunity to get form when his sulky axle broke at the start of Friday's race but trainer Barry Purdon has not given up on his cup dream.

"We might head to Kaikoura to get some form but I think he is racing well enough to have a crack at the cup," said Purdon.

Defending champion Mainland Banner remains the $3 favourite for the cup, a price that could shorten dramatically after her first public trial of the season at Ashburton today.