Ultimate Machete has to be Mr Perfect to leave Addington tonight as a deserved favourite for the New Zealand Trotting Cup.
The long-time favourite has been unplaced in all three races this season and yet punters have stuck firm with him, especially after Aussie star Chicago Bull was withdrawn with
injury this week.
Memories of his previous Cup week heroics, winning the Sires' Stakes at three and crushing Tiger Tara in the free-for-all last season, as well as the fact he is trained by Purdon-Rasmussen, have seen Ultimate Machete still lead the market even though he has galloped away in two of his three starts this term. But now the time for excuses is over.
With just 11 days until the New Zealand Cup fitness can no longer be a concern and he will never get a better chance to step away safely than off the 30m mark tonight, with plenty of room and horses to follow out and keep his mind on the job.
A safe beginning from Ultimate Machete should let him work forward and bully most of his rivals tonight and win. Anything less, and Tiger Tara deserves to be Cup favourite.
Trainer Mark Purdon is cautiously optimistic the composition of tonight's race suits his stocky five-year-old. "Usually following them out like that they get their chance to step away and at home he can actually be brilliant away but you have to get him on the right foot," says Purdon.
"So I'd like to see that this week because he goes back to a full front line in the Cup where his manners will need to be perfect." Purdon and partner Natalie Rasmussen hold the aces in the feature and he says Dream About Me is every bit as good a chance as Ultimate Machete while Thefixer is over a recent setback and worked pleasingly on Wednesday morning so along with the likes of Alta Orlando mean Ultimate Machete will have to earn that Cup favouritism tonight.
Tonight's meeting sees some important pre-Cup meeting clashes, with the next heat of the Sires' Stakes and class three-year-olds Ultimate Sniper (Ultimate Machete's little brother) versus Major Trojan in a lower grade race.
