Swings and roundabouts would be the best way to describe the last few days for All Stars stable trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.
Adore Me's win in Monday's Ashburton Flying Stakes showed she is a genuine hope on the second Tuesday in November but Smolda's Cup campaign is over.
The 6yr-old has been below his best in his two runs in this campaign, running fourth in the Avon City Ford Cup, before producing an unflattering effort for third in the Methven Cup.
Attempts by Purdon and Rasmussen to find out why Smolda was underperforming were unsuccessful other than an unsatisfactory blood test, and he was withdrawn yesterday morning, leaving the All Stars teams with four possible contenders - Adore Me, Hands Christian, Fly Like An Eagle and Arden Rooney.
Arden Rooney is at the most risk of missing a start. He is ranked 15th, holding on to the final place in the cup ahead of Pemberton Shard, Pass Them By and Lewy Risk.
Adore Me remained in the same ranking - fifth - after her Flying Stakes win. For A Reason's Queensland Pacing Championship victory at group 1 level on Saturday night ensured he retained his ranking of fourth.
Abettorpunt finished fifth behind For A Reason and retains seventh spot.
Jimmy Johnstone, who finished fourth at Ashburton, was the other mover, jumping up two spots to 12th on the rankings.
The next race to have a potential effect on the rankings is the Kaikoura Cup on Monday, where Four Starzzz Flash, Arden Rooney, Pass Them By and Fly Like An Eagle will try to to further or strengthen their case for a Cup start.
Smolda withdrawn from NZ CupNew Zealand CupRankingsTerror To Love 1, Christen Me 2, Franco Nelson 3, For A Reason 4, Adore Me 5, Pembrook Benny 6, Abettorpunt 7, Franco Ledger 8, Hands Christian 9, Seel N Print 10, Tiger Tara 11, Jimmy Johnstone 12, Fly Like An Eagle 13, Four Starzzz Flash 14, Arden Rooney 15, Pemberton Shard 16, Pass Them By 17, Lewy Risk 18.
Withdrawals: Besotted, Locharburn, Jivin Cullen, Belkmyster; Ballindooley, The Wrath Of Robyn, Maiden Rome, Franco Harrington, Themightyquinn, Averil's Quest, Bit Of A Legend, Easy On The Eye, Jason Rulz, Maximan, Pure Power, Lets Elope, Classiesistar, Vice Chairman, Smolda. By MATT SMITHSWINGS and roundabouts would be the best way to describe the last few days for All Stars stable trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.
Adore Me's win in Monday's Ashburton Flying Stakes showed she is a genuine hope on the second Tuesday in November but Smolda's Cup campaign is over.
The 6yr-old has been below his best in his two runs in this campaign, running fourth in the Avon City Ford Cup, before producing an unflattering effort for third in the Methven Cup.
Attempts by Purdon and Rasmussen to find out why Smolda was underperforming were unsuccessful other than an unsatisfactory blood test, and he was withdrawn yesterday morning, leaving the All Stars teams with four possible contenders - Adore Me, Hands Christian, Fly Like An Eagle and Arden Rooney.
Arden Rooney is at the most risk of missing a start. He is ranked 15th, holding on to the final place in the cup ahead of Pemberton Shard, Pass Them By and Lewy Risk.
Adore Me remained in the same ranking - fifth - after her Flying Stakes win. For A Reason's Queensland Pacing Championship victory at group 1 level on Saturday night ensured he retained his ranking of fourth. Abettorpunt finished fifth behind For A Reason and retains seventh spot.
Jimmy Johnstone, who finished fourth at Ashburton, was the other mover, jumping up two spots to 12th on the rankings.
The next race to have a potential effect on the rankings is the Kaikoura Cup on Monday, where Four Starzzz Flash, Arden Rooney, Pass Them By and Fly Like An Eagle will try to to further or strengthen their case for a Cup start.
