Tiger Tara is heading in the right direction - both on and off the track - after the updated New Zealand Trotting Cup rankings were released yesterday.
The 4yr-old's win in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday has seen him shoot up the rankings to No 12 and is well placed to get a start in the New Zealand Cup on November 11.
Four Starzzz Flash's bold second in the Hannon sees him jump to 19th, while good runs from Pass Them By and Pure Power elevate them to 20th and 23rd respectively.
This week's rankings are the first to see some real movement, particularly with the withdrawal of no fewer than eight horses.
Besotted was ranked 13th but was withdrawn by trainer Ray Green, while Locharburn, who impressed with his second placing behind Christen Me in the National Handicap, has also been removed from the nominations on Monday due to a leg injury and will be out for 12 months.
Locharburn had moved from $21 to $16 on the fixed-odds market before he was withdrawn, with the New Zealand TAB carrying $500 on the son of Christian Cullen, bookmaker Richard Wilson said.
Graeme Anderson has pulled the pin on the cup hopes for Ballindooley and Belkmyster.
''Ballindooley hurt his tail bone when he slipped [in the Maurice Holmes Vase], so he'll miss a couple of weeks and that just makes it impossible,'' Anderson said.
Belkmyster was a ''bit behind the eight ball'' due to missing some jogging and slow work because of adverse weather conditions and tides at Westwood beach.
''But there's plenty coming up for a horse like him,'' he said.
Others to drop from contention are Jivin Cullen, The Wrath Of Robyn, Maiden Rome and Franco Harrington.
Speculative money on horses with Otago interests in the Dominion fixed-odds market has not paid off, either.
Armbro Demon, who was transferred from Chris McLeod in Oamaru to the Rolleston stables of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen earlier this year, was the subject of more than $1000 of bets as she tightened in to $21 from her opening quote of $26.
However, she has developed a suspensory problem and has been retired.
About $750 was invested on the Anderson-trained King Kenny ($41 to $31) before he was withdrawn last week, Wilson said.
