Racing: Big-spending Aussies welcomed

Mr Feelgood is one Australian star well known to local fans. Photo / Gary Wild

This weekend the enemy is our friend.

Starting next week a wave of Australians will be heading across the Tasman trying to win New Zealand's most elite races, starting at the Auckland Cup carnival.

Big names like Themightyquinn, Sundon's Gift, Mr Feelgood and Sushi Sushi backed by some of the most elite trainers from throughout Australia will converge on first Alexandra Park and then Addington for the Interdominions.

It will be one of the great months of Us versus Them transtasman racing rivalry and national pride will take its place alongside punting sensibilities.

This weekend, the Australians are going to be welcomed with open arms, first at Alexandra Park tonight but more important at Karaka tomorrow.

Many local vendors are hoping the Australians will spend big and boost a stagnating local economy at the Australasian Classic Yearling Sale tomorrow.

The sale has drawn a superb catalogue but local interest will struggle to reach the peaks of recent years because of falling stakes, primarily in the south, and general economic malaise.

Enter the Australians, buoyed by a strong dollar and the promise of a huge cash injection into New South Wales harness racing because of the sale of Harold Park.

That, coupled with smaller foal crops two years ago because of EI and the continued success of New Zealand pacers in Australia, suggests the Aussies have a huge role to play.

The catalogue is so strong that had the same 170 lots on display tomorrow gone through the Karaka ring three years ago, at least 15 of them could have broken the $100,000 mark.

This year, vendors, who are taking an unusually realistic view of the sale, will be happy if just five or six make it to $100,000. And many of them could head to Australia.

"We have had huge interest from Australia, right from Queensland to Western Australia," says PGG Wrightson sales star Rachel Deegan.

"So we know they are going to be here and be a force."

What will be interesting, though, is the Australian buyers' attitude to the sires with stock on display at Karaka tomorrow.

The Australians go ga-ga for the stock of Art Major, while New Zealand buyers have yet to totally warm to them, whereas Christian Cullen used to be loved locally on sales day but many Australian trainers bemoan his stock's lack of toughness under their conditions.

The one stallion who seems to please trainers on both sides of the Tasman is Bettor's Delight, but as sensationally as his stock have raced in the past two seasons, he often fails to stamp them physically so that they can sneak under the guard on sales day.

Those dynamics and a far stronger crop of trotting-bred yearlings than is usual in the north should make for an interesting day.