Otago's great pacing hope, Titan Banner, is back in blue and gold, or technically purple and white, in today’s Wyndham Cup.
The pacer steps out in trainer Graeme Anderson’s colours for the first time since April of last year after a successful stint in the almost bullet-proof blue silks of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rassmussen.
Titan Banner’s term in Canterbury, having previously been based in Otago with Anderson, was a highly successful one. He scored group 2 wins in the Manukau and Franklin Cups and group 1 placings in the Harness Jewels and the New Zealand Cup.
The 5yr-old’s time in the Purdon-Rassmussen camp came to an end after he injured his off-front leg in a paddock incident. After treatment for the injury in the North Island, the pacer was sent south to Anderson for the rest of his recovery.
That is now complete and the horse is ready to get back to the races. Anderson feels he has the horse as fit as he possibly can from his Westwood Beach base and only racing will bring him on any further.
‘‘I can’t do any more from him here; he has got to go to the races now. I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve done — he looks magnificent.’’
The class drop the horse meets tomorrow after campaigning against the country’s best pacers also gives Anderson confidence his charge has enough fitness to be more than competitive today.
Countering the class of the majority of his opponents is Titan Banner’s 50m shared backmark with Costa Del Magnifico, but that does not concern his trainer.
‘‘It doesn’t make a lot of difference. He is a good stepper and so is the other one off the back. They will both catch up quite a bit early on.’’
Back marks are certainly no daunting task for Costa Del Magnifico. His past two wins have come from 50m and 35m back marks.
Although it will be on contrasting scale, Titan Banner is looking to follow in the footsteps of his stablemate, All Star Magician.
The 3yr-old pacer recently transferred from the Purdon-Rassmussen stable to Anderson’s care and won first up at Gore last weekend, following the change.
"He went well. He did it with a bit of style in the finish.’’
The ease of his maiden victory and his training since has Anderson confident of another strong showing today.
‘‘He has worked on well, so he should be hard to beat.’’
The pacer should also be driven in a similar manner to his last-start victory, when he sat in the field before launching a strong late finish.
- By Jonny Turner
