Tiger Tara to miss NZ

By Adam Hamilton

TIGER Tara’s spluttering campaign has come to an end.

After weeks of uncertainty and below par form, trainer Kevin Pizzuto today confirmed the superstar would not tackle the NZ Cup or defend his Inter Dominion crown in Auckland.

“The horse is in the paddock. He’ll be there for the next month or so and serve a few mares as well,” Pizzuto said.

 “I tossed everything around and it’s the right thing to do.

 “It really all stemmed from that gut-buster he had first-up in Queensland (the Blacks A Fake). It was at the start of the campaign, unsettled him and he just hasn’t been right since.

 “You can’t go to an NZ Cup unless you’re 100 per cent and he’s not.”

 But Pizzuto still hopes to salvage something from the season with his nine-year-old entire.

 “Perth is the target now, the Fremantle and WA Cups,” he said. “He can have a month out now and I’ve still 10 weeks after that to get him ready for Perth.”