Minor setback for unbeaten trotter

By Michael Guerin

Unbeaten juvenile trotter Eyes Wide Open will miss this Friday’s $50,000 Sundon Classic at Addington.

But co-trainer Hayden Cullen says the Harness Million futures favourite is still on track for that rich goal back at Addington on October 9.

Eyes Wide Open has been excellent in both his wins for Cullen and wife Amanda and was expected to meet top northern trotting baby Duke of Bourbon at Addington this Friday. Until he bumped a leg in track work on Saturday morning.

“It is nothing serious and we still could have got him to Friday’s race but he would only have been at 90 per cent and we didn’t want to take that risk with him,” says Cullen.

“But he is fine, it won’t be an issue long-term and he will still definitely be there for the Million on October 9 and the Sires’ Stakes after that.”

Eyes Wide Open may not be at Addington this Friday but plenty of other stars will be as not only does Jumal return in the Wai Eyre Farm Lazarus Stakes but Marketplace and Republican Party start their road to the Go Media New Zealand Cup in the Chairmans Handicap Pace, the open class feature.

Marketplace will face a 10m handicap, the same as It’s Tough, while reigning Horse of the Year Republican Party will be off 20m.

And the Tactical Approach DG Jones Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup comes to Addington with the majority of the south’s best trotters in the entries.