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One of New Zealand's most exciting young pacers has been sold to Perth in a move that greatly changes the dynamic of northern spring 3-year-old racing.
Machtu would have been a hot favourite for the first Sires' Stakes heat of the season at Cambridge tonight but has been scratched after being bought by Australian buyers.
He has won all three starts this term with a stamp of authority, two of those wins coming after sitting parked, which is becoming increasingly rare in even lower-grade northern races.
Trainer Brian Hughes says the offer for Machtu was too good to refuse.
"I look at offers for horses on their merits and this one was very fair, even though he is going to be a good horse," said Hughes.
"I am sure he will do a good job wherever he goes."
Machtu was one of the early favourites for the Sires' Stakes series and he looked the best newcomer in a crop which had no dominant force last season.
His sale paves the way for Cyclone Prince to make a winning return tonight.
He was good enough to down Isaiah in the group one Young Guns Final at Alexandra Park last season and has some high-profile owners in Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum and bowler Kyle Mills.
But he let them, and punters, down on a few occasions last season as niggling issues stopped him from living up to his enormous potential.
Trainer Gareth Dixon says those issues are behind Cyclone Prince for now.
"He is the best he has ever been in that regard," said Dixon.
"Like any horse fresh-up he will get better with racing but I think he is ready to win.
"At his best he is a pretty good horse and we won't be scared to drive him confidently."
The annual Sires' Stakes heat at Cambridge is usually dominated, like most mile racing on the track, by the leader and trailer so those backing Cyclone Prince tonight would love to see him in front.
But with Machtu out of the way, he does have a clear class edge in exposed form so might be good enough to win even racing against that pattern.
Cyclone Prince meets two handy Tony Herlihy-trained opponents in Nota Lada and Ohoka Cooper, with the latter likely to be sharpened by his last-start win here, while local Dean Martin has the gate speed to be a factor.
On what is a surprisingly strong night of racing for Cambridge on a Thursday, two other favourites are going to need to overcome the track's usual front-runners bias in the $12,000 Te Awamutu Cup.
Former Sires' Stakes winner Let's Elope and speedster Kiwi Ideal face 30m handicaps in the main pace but apart from Freespin (20m) they are that much better than their rivals.
Lets Elope has the advantage of having raced in the Spring Cup at Alexandra Park last Friday and has been quick from a stand so deserves favouritism, especially if he can begin quickly and gains some crucial field position advantage..
Kiwi Ideal will be looking to complete a treble of fresh-up wins for the Reid-McMullen stable after their training heroics at Alexandra Park last Friday but handicap races at Cambridge are notoriously hard to win fresh-up, especially in your initial standing-start race.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Cup favourites Christen Me and Terror To Love provide the first glamour clash of the pacing season when they contest the $25,000 Avon City Ford Cup at Addington tomorrow night.
Both go into the race fresh and take on Franco Ledger, Fly Like An Eagle and Four Starzzz Flash in the first real lead-up to the NZ Cup, for which Christen Me in now a ridiculously short $3 favourite.I look at offers for horses on their merits and this one was very fair, even though he is going to be a good horse.Brian Hughes, horseman One of New Zealand's most exciting young pacers has been sold to Perth in a move that greatly changes the dynamic of northern spring 3-year-old racing.
Machtu would have been a hot favourite for the first Sires' Stakes heat of the season at Cambridge tonight but has been scratched after being bought by Australian buyers.
He has won all three starts this term with a stamp of authority, two of those wins coming after sitting parked, which is becoming increasingly rare in even lower-grade northern races.
Trainer Brian Hughes says the offer for Machtu was too good to refuse.
"I look at offers for horses on their merits and this one was very fair, even though he is going to be a good horse," said Hughes.
"I am sure he will do a good job wherever he goes."
Machtu was one of the early favourites for the Sires' Stakes series and he looked the best newcomer in a crop which had no dominant force last season.
His sale paves the way for Cyclone Prince to make a winning return tonight.
He was good enough to down Isaiah in the group one Young Guns Final at Alexandra Park last season and has some high-profile owners in Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum and bowler Kyle Mills.
But he let them, and punters, down on a few occasions last season as niggling issues stopped him from living up to his enormous potential.
Trainer Gareth Dixon says those issues are behind Cyclone Prince for now.
"He is the best he has ever been in that regard," said Dixon.
"Like any horse fresh-up he will get better with racing but I think he is ready to win.
"At his best he is a pretty good horse and we won't be scared to drive him confidently."
The annual Sires' Stakes heat at Cambridge is usually dominated, like most mile racing on the track, by the leader and trailer so those backing Cyclone Prince tonight would love to see him in front.
But with Machtu out of the way, he does have a clear class edge in exposed form so might be good enough to win even racing against that pattern.
Cyclone Prince meets two handy Tony Herlihy-trained opponents in Nota Lada and Ohoka Cooper, with the latter likely to be sharpened by his last-start win here, while local Dean Martin has the gate speed to be a factor.
On what is a surprisingly strong night of racing for Cambridge on a Thursday, two other favourites are going to need to overcome the track's usual front-runners bias in the $12,000 Te Awamutu Cup.
Former Sires' Stakes winner Let's Elope and speedster Kiwi Ideal face 30m handicaps in the main pace but apart from Freespin (20m) they are that much better than their rivals.
Lets Elope has the advantage of having raced in the Spring Cup at Alexandra Park last Friday and has been quick from a stand so deserves favouritism, especially if he can begin quickly and gains some crucial field position advantage..
Kiwi Ideal will be looking to complete a treble of fresh-up wins for the Reid-McMullen stable after their training heroics at Alexandra Park last Friday but handicap races at Cambridge are notoriously hard to win fresh-up, especially in your initial standing-start race.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Cup favourites Christen Me and Terror To Love provide the first glamour clash of the pacing season when they contest the $25,000 Avon City Ford Cup at Addington tomorrow night.
Both go into the race fresh and take on Franco Ledger, Fly Like An Eagle and Four Starzzz Flash in the first real lead-up to the NZ Cup, for which Christen Me in now a ridiculously short $3 favourite.