Westwood Beach horseman Graeme Anderson is talking to several other trainers taking horses to the Harness Jewels to figure out the entire's next six weeks.
The 4yr-old emerald category has dropped away dramatically. Miracle Mile winner Have Faith In Me is in the spelling paddock, while other leading chances Costa Del Magnifico and Hughie Green have also been withdrawn.
So it makes sense for Titan Banner, who sits seventh on the official leaderboard, to make the long trip north for a tilt at the group 1 age-grade championship.
‘‘Funny you should say that, this morning I've been making phone calls to definitely do that,'' Anderson said.
'‘It's more than likely I won't train the horse for the race - I might send him away. There's no more racing around here and it's probably a good time to get him to somebody who is going to go there anyway.
‘‘We've come this far. It's $150,000 and it doesn't look like a hugely strong race, so we've got to go have a look.''
Anderson also briefly considered a look at the New Zealand Messenger on April 29.
‘‘I did think of the Messenger, but I was having a lot of difficulty getting him up there,'' he said.
‘‘He hasn't had much practice going the other way around [clockwise] so it's almost a mission impossible for me.
‘‘I did think of that last week and made inquiries with a trainer in Auckland but I couldn't get him up there until next Sunday.''
Titan Banner has won four races this season although Anderson, who owns a 25% share in the 4yr-old, was not entirely happy with the son of Art Major's third placing in the Country Cups final at Ascot Park on Sunday.
‘‘I thought he should have run second - he's not quite sprinting off. He's racing a bit dumb and then he's kicking back for the last bit.
‘‘They sprinted hard off a quarter. He can sprint, but he needs to roll into it a wee bit.''
Anderson's other Jewels hopeful, Motu Moonbeam, who sits in eighth place, will be withdrawn as she has been sold and will be exported to North America in the next week.
