Star 3yr-old Chase Auckland’s season is over.
The Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained pacer is expected to be withdrawn from the Harness Jewels in preference for time in the spelling paddock.
Chase Auckland has been recuperating from a curbed hock sustained during his Northern Derby-winning campaign. A recent veterinary inspection revealed the hock had not improved enough for the horse to immediately return to work.
A decision was then made to cancel any plans to race him again this season and let the injury have as much time as it needs to heal.
Though it was disappointing to miss the Harness Jewels, Chase Auckland’s best long-term interests had to be prioritised, Alabar Racing Syndicate manager Ivan Behrnes said.
"It’s a major disappointment, but that’s horses. It is just one race and we have so much to look forward to."
Before his hock injury, Chase Auckland won eight of his nine starts and stamped himself as New Zealand’s best 3yr-old pacer.
It is his 4yr-old career that his owners are now setting their sights on. The New Zealand Cup meeting at Addington is the long-term goal, Behrnes said.Chase Auckland’s career has had striking similarities to that of his sire, Auckland Reactor. Auckland Reactor suffered an identically curbed hock on the same leg and rehabilitated at the same Canterbury facility Chase Auckland is at, Behrnes said.
*Mosgiel trotter Its Elvis can notch a first in Invercargill today.The Darryn Simpson-trained trotter is a leading chance in race 6, the feature trot at Ascot Park.
The 6yr-old has never won away from his home track of Forbury Park, but that could change given he is in career best-form. The feature pace could produce a repeat of the outcome of Thursday night’s feature at Forbury Park.
There the Terry and Glenys Chmiel-trained Patanjali defeated the Graeme Anderson-trained Linton Shards.
The two stables could well score another quinella together with Franco Tai (Chmiel) and Smooth Mara (Anderson).
