Latest NZ Cup News : November 11

Latest IRT New Zealand Cup News : November 11 

Facilities for licence-holder and owners 

There will be a food outlet area on the stables rooftop for licence holders and owners tomorrow, on IRT NZ Trotting Cup Day. This can be accessed via the internal staircase from the stables. There will be food to purchase and free coffee available as well as a viewing area of the track.

Fine and 17 for Cup day 

The weather forecast for Cup Day in Christchurch for Tuesday is looking good with 17 degrees predicted and more importantly, no rain. Tickets are still available at addington.co.nz 

Swayzee flies in for Cup 

IRT New Zealand Cup favourite and defending champion Swayzee is now in Christchurch after his huge weekend. He won at Young in New South Wales on Friday night and then flew out from Sydney to Christchurch via, Auckland , arriving last night. He will be based at Bob Butt's Woodend property while here.  Swayzee is currently a $2.70 favourite with Merlin at $3.20 and Don't Stop Dreaming at $4.60. The Cup will go at 5.46pm. 

Lady Of The Light is officially out of the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. The 11-win northern mare was an emergency for the Cup and was scratched on Monday morning. 

$200,000 First 4 

There will be a guaranteed $200,000 First 4 in the IRT NZ Trotting Cup at 5.46pm at Addington Raceway on Tuesday. There'll also be a guaranteed  $100,000 late Quaddie, starting on race 9 and a $20,000 guaranteed First 4 on every race. 
 

Matt Cross'  Phantom Cup call 

Commentator Matt Cross has done his annual "phantom call" of the 2024 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at a special function for owners and connections in Christchurch.

It's also very well received - and to see his latest version click here 

Leap To Fame's ID campaign now also "very unlikely"

By Adam Hamilton 

Following his scratching from tomorrow's IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup, Leap To Fame’s season looks over.

After a trouble-free first three years of his stellar career, the champion Queenslander has missed the Victoria and the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cups now his Inter Dominion defence – due to start in NSW on November 29 - looks in tatters.

Trainer-driver Grant Dixon conceded the champion pacer’s latest health setback made the upcoming NSW Inter Dominion “very unlikely.”

Leap To Fame was scratched from Tuesday’s NZ Cup last Friday and has since returned to Dixon’s Queensland base.

“We’ll know more Tuesday,” Dixon said. “His regular vet will go right over him in the hope we can pinpoint what’s causing his bloods to be out.

“The frustrating part is that he seems great in all other aspects, but there’s something there, something which seems to flare when we race him or work him hard.

“We won’t be making any definite decisions until after Tuesday, but I’d say the Inter Dominion has to be very unlikely.”

He was scratched from the Victoria Cup on October 11 - the eve of the Group 1 race - when a $1.20 favourite owing to a virus.

Just when Dixon thought he had Leap To Fame right again, a blood test taken last Thursday came back showing issues again the following day, He was immediately scratched from the NZ Cup.

“It might just be best to give him a break now and look to bring him back with the Hunter Cup the first big focus,” Dixon said.

“All that matters for now is just getting to the bottom of this and having him fully over it.

“The (NSW) Inter Dominion is very close and it needs a road trip back from here (Queensland) to Sydney, trips to Bathurst and Newcastle and those four runs in two weeks.

“It doesn’t seem ideal, especially when there is another Inter Dominion scheduled for his own backyard (Albion Park) next July.”

Leap To Fame brilliantly dominated last December’s Brisbane Inter Dominion with a clean sweep through the heats and final.

Ironically, Dixon and his wife Trista will be Addington. 

The pair have emerging four-year-old Aroda in the IRT NZ Cup and Trista will take the drive.