Australia’s loss is Omakau’s gain with the undisputed heavyweight champion of New Zealand trotting, Sundees Son, set to start on Central Otago Cup Day for the first time since his record-smashing win in the Dominion.
Almost certainly the best trotter in Australasia lines up in free-for-all company on Sunday and is set to start at incredibly short odds in his 2000m mobile assignment.
Canterbury trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn and key team members Craig Edmonds and John Dunn were getting their star trotter ready for some serious Australian targets before New Zealand’s border changes forced a change of plans.
Given he had group 1 events on his agenda, Sundees Son is fit and ready to show the Central Otago crowd just how classy he is.
“He is well up to the mark. Johnny and Craig have been really pleased with him,” Robert Dunn said.
“We were getting him ready for Australia but we have pulled the pin on that with the border rules changing.”
“He trialled at Ashburton and he trialled very good, so we are pleased with him.”
The Dunn team has plenty of options ahead for Sundee’s Son following his resuming run at Omakau.
It is possible the champion trotter could contest feature trot races in the lower South Island in the coming weeks.
Punters are unlikely to get rich backing Sundee’s Son on on Sunday and may look to cash in by anchoring him in quinellas and trifectas.
The Dominator looks one of the strongest quinella options with the favourite, given he gets the mobile sprint conditions he likes.
Andy Hall looks another big top-three chance in the race.
The team behind Alta Wise Guy will be out to make the most of his draw advantage of his rivals in the day’s pacing feature, the group 3 Central Otago Cup.
The Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained 4yr-old will start from barrier 3 with main rivals Laver (5) and Classie Brigade (8) outside him.
Alta Wise Guy comes into the Central Otago Cup after continuing his brilliant spring form by winning the Methven Green Mile in at his latest outing.
Amanda Telfer said the pacer had continued to thrive since that win in which he downed Classie Brigade.
“He is in a really good place at the moment,” she said.
“I have been very happy with him. He is fit and very well and he should go another good race.”
Laver also comes into Sunday’s feature on the back of an outstanding win.
The Geoff and James Dunn-trained pacer reeled off some of the best closing sectionals of his career when speeding to victory in the Ashburton Cup just before Christmas.
