Racing: Stone bruise puts hot favourite out of Chariots

Now the connections of Roman Gladiator know how the Jack Cade team feel.

Roman Gladiator, the hot pre-post favourite for Friday night's A$200,000 Chariots Of Fire in Sydney, was scratched from the race yesterday after a poor workout.

The Southland four-year-old was on trial for a start when he worked at Menangle Park, his place in the field being in doubt after he suffered a stone bruise last Wednesday.

Trainer-driver Robin Swain was not impressed with what he felt yesterday and immediately confirmed Roman Gladiator would not run.

"We tried to get him back into top condition but unfortunately he is going to take a little longer to heal than we thought. We are disappointed but we have to look at the best interests of the horse."

Roman Gladiator's scratching mirrors that of Jack Cade, who was pulled out of the Chariots two years ago just three days before the race, for which he was also hot favourite.

Jack Cade was trained by Mark Purdon and part-owned by the now deceased John Seaton and Roman Gladiator's scratching is likely to leave Born Again Christian, who has similar connections, as the favourite for Friday's race.

Born Again Christian is usually trained by Purdon but commitments with his stable in the South Island saw him transfer the four-year-old to his brother Barry's stable two weeks ago. Born Again Christian is part-owned by Seaton's widow, Anne.

One of the stars of the New Zealand and Auckland Cup meetings, Born Again Christian has to overcome the outside barrier draw on Friday night but has the services of Tony Herlihy and meets the weakest field in the 10-year history of Australia's richest four-year-old pacing race.

While he will be the only Kiwi in the race there will be truckloads of them on show the next night at Ballarat as the Victorian summer carnival gets into action.

Mister D G, Young Rufus, Harnetts Creek and Howard Bromac will start in the A$105,000 Ballarat Cup, while six New Zealand pacers contend heats of the Victoria Derrby.

Pukekohe superstar Baileys Dream has drawn the second line in the first heat but should still win, while Great Northern Derby winner Badlands Bute also faces a second line draw in the final, stronger heat, which also contains lesser-performed Kiwi representative Mighty Cullen.

Strauss, Place Of Glory and Sires' Stakes winner Tribute clash in the second of the three heats.

Both Strauss and Place Of Glory will continue their racing careers in Australia after the Derby series.

Auckland Cup runner-up Oscar Wild will compete in a free-for-all on the same night as he attempts to win his way into the A$450,000 Hunter Cup on February 12.