Racing: Raydon the latest star to miss Rowe Cup

The trainers of New Zealand's leading trotters could be forgiven for wondering whether Aussie horseman Chris Lang is a closet witch doctor.

Because somewhere in Lang's establishment in Victoria could be a stable full of voodoo dolls resembling New Zealand's trotting stars.

And they would all have pins stuck in very crucial parts of their anatomy.

One by one, our elite trotters have fallen by the wayside this season, leaving Lang to dominate the Australasian open-class scene with Sundon's Gift, who is now set to stage an assault on the $250,000 Rowe Cup.

And after the season-ending injury to our latest trotting star, Raydon, there may not be too many open-class trotters to defending our crumbling national pride.

Raydon is the latest big-name squaregaiter to have his year ruined by injury, this time a mysterious hock infection.

Trainer Barry Purdon has no idea how the 5-year-old, who went on a winning rampage before Christmas, developed the problem and is not sure whether to be thankful it is not worse or curse his luck.

"With an infection like this if it goes undetected it can get right into the bone and be career-ending," said Purdon. "So the fact we got it early and got it fixed is a blessing.

"Still, it is a real shame to lose him at a time when the open-class ranks aren't strong."

That is Purdon at his most diplomatic as a series of injuries to superstar trotters on both sides of the Tasman has decimated the elite trotting ranks. Champions Stig and One Over Kenny were the first to fall by the wayside, while Sovereignty has had a horror run with mystery problems.

Now Raydon is out for the season while Springbank Richard lost his best form after a tough Australian campaign in December. He is set to resume on April 3 at Addington.

King Charlie has been unsighted since looking a potential open-class force last year, while the classy Tim Butt pair of Ray and Quality Invasion also suffered injuries.

And among all that Lang struck his own bad luck, with his budding trotting hero Skyvalley retired because of injury.

Add that to the reluctance of trainer Justin Smith to take his wonderful mare Speculate north for the Rowe Cup in May and you can see why Lang is so keen on coming to Auckland with Sundon's Gift.

The latter defended his Interdominion crown in Melbourne last month and has recorded two brilliant wins since, convincing Lang he must bring him to Auckland next month.

"He is trotting better than ever so we intend coming for the lead-up race on April 30 and then the Rowe Cup itself," said Lang.

"We are hoping to stay on the beach at Michelle Wallis's place and I am really looking forward to getting him over there."

The Lang family are no strangers to success in the Rowe Cup, with Chris's famous father, Graeme, having won the great race with Scotch Notch and Wagon Apollo.

And that was against outstanding New Zealand trotters, whereas Sundon's Gift will arrive here at a time when our open class ranks have rarely been so ravaged by injury.

The Australian invasion actually starts at Addington tomorrow night, with former South Island battler Cilla's Earl back as a rejuvenated Victorian for the feature trot.

He has thrived under new trainer Michael Marias and will be a major force in the New Zealand Trotting Champs next month before joining Sundon's Gift for the Rowe Cup.

The injuries to so many of our trotting stars has even convinced trainer Mark Purdon to consider the Rowe Cup with 4-year-olds Pocaro and I Can Doosit.

Both have just finished fine Alexandra Park campaigns and dominate their division of the Harness Jewels, to be run at Cambridge on June 5.

Purdon said with the open-class ranks so depleted he would talk to the pair's owners about using the Rowe Cup as a lucrative Jewels lead-up.

HORROR RUN
* New Zealand's best trotters have been ravaged by injury this season.
* Six of our best 10 are set to miss the rest of the season.
* Raydon is the latest to join the list of walking wounded.
* That makes Australian star Sundon's Gift a hot favourite for the Rowe Cup in May.