Racing: Thedonsson sent to Wallis for an Auckland campaign

Thedonsson has been transferred from the South Island to the Waiuku stable of Michelle Wallis for an Auckland campaign.

He is off 30m in a four win-plus discretionary handicap over 2700m at Alexandra Park on Friday night but has the $20,000 Greenlane Cup on June 15 as his main mission.

"There are just not the races to suit him down here," Neil Munro, his Templeton part-owner and former trainer, said.

"He would have been off 40m over 2400m at Ashburton at the weekend."

The winner of nine races, Thedonsson has not raced since March 31.

His most recent win was at Omakau in January off a 50m handicap over 3200m.

He won at Winton and Addington in his previous two starts before that.

Thedonsson won the New Zealand and Great Northern Trotting Derbies and Hambletonian in 2003 when trained by Tim Butt.

Wallis was disconsolate when Delft was transferred this month from her stable to Warren Stapleton at Rakaia to be treated for an enlarged tendon in his left front leg. She had prepared Delft to win the Interdominion Trotting Championship Final in Melbourne in February.

She took over the training of Delft midway through 2004 after he returned from the United States, preparing him for 12 wins from 25 starts.

Beach Lover has also joined the Wallis stable. Beach Lover, who has not raced for 12 months, was a winner at Forbury Park two years ago when trained there by Kevin Court.

The capable pacer Special Ops will also begin a North Island campaign at Auckland on Friday night.

Special Ops, trained at Rangiora by Ross Rennie, won at Addington on May 19, her fourth win. She finished third there last Friday and has not finished further back than fifth in her 10 starts since November.

"We felt it was time for her to have a trip away. Craig [Thornley, her driver] feels it could be the making of her," Rennie said.

Rennie campaigned the trotter Mamalu in Auckland 12 months ago for two minor placings from three starts. Mamalu, the winner of seven races, developed a tendon problem in September and he was spelled for three months.

Special Ops travelled north on Sunday and the Armbro Operative mare is based with Todd Macfarlane at Pukekohe. Thornley has retained the drive.

* Roman Gladiator is set to resume racing at Alexandra Park on June 11 with the 2007 Auckland Cup in mind.

Roman Gladiator, the winner of 13 of his 23 starts and placed in five others, has not raced since December 2004 due to a leg ailment. He won a trial at Wyndham last Wednesday.

He travels north with his Knapdale co-trainer, Robin Swain and his immediate assignment is the $25,000 Thames Cup on June 11.