Wee Brother, last-start winner of the Canterbury Regional Cups Final, has been scratched from the main free-for-all at Addington today due to a slight cold.
"It is not serious but I have treated him with antibiotics," Peter Jones, his co-trainer, said.
Jones is hoping Wee Brother will remain qualified for the 4yr-old division of the Harness Jewels.
Fiery Rascal has been scratched from the ffa at Addington after an injury to a tendon.
"He has a small tear in the tendon and he will be out for five months," Bruce Negus, his Waikouaiti trainer, said.
Fiery Rascal had remained in Canterbury after he finished sixth in the Rangiora Classic on Sunday. He has won three races this season, taking his tally to seven.
• Ryan Hayter who turns 24 tomorrow, drove Churchill Bromac to win the race for junior drivers at Forbury Park last night.
Hayter has been foreman for the Tisbury stable of Tom Kilkelly since February. Hayter came to Southland from Bunbury (Western Australia) late in 2009, linking with the Branxholme stable of Kirk Larsen.
Hayter had his other win when he drove Chay Bromac to win at Winton in his first New Zealand engagement that year.
The Kilkelly stable also won last night with Lite Jagermeister, a 3yr-old filly who has improved with each of her four starts. She is a half-sister to Pele, who won three races for Kilkelly before being sold to Australia in February.
• John Murdoch, the Herbert owner-trainer and his wife Joy, had the first two horses home in the maiden trot at Forbury Park last night.
Sunny Money finished fast down the outer to win by half a length from Last Sunrise. The Murdochs bought Sunny Money after replying to an advertisement in the New Zealand Harness Racing Weekly. The Herberts have sold their farm and are moving to Teschemakers, the former boarding school for girls. They plan to operate the complex as a wedding and function centre after taking possession on June 1.
• The 2yr-old J C Skipper won against the older horses last night to give driver Dexter Dunn his third win for the night.
J C Skipper is trained by Peter Robertson for Paul Thomas and the Poronui Family Trust.
"He [J C Skipper] will go out for a spell now," Robertson said.
• El Nino is now in the North Taieri stable of Craig Buchan. The 4yr-old was a winner two starts for Invercargill trainer Murray Brown. He won three races including the 2009 New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes in 1.55.5 when trained by Doug McLachlan.
• Jockey Lisa Allpress has switched to Whisper To Me (race 9) at New Plymouth today with the scratching of Bindi.
• Robert Hannam was suspended from Monday until midnight on Friday for careless riding at Wanganui on Thursday. Hannam admitted causing interference to the third horse, Share The Blame, after he rode the winner, Lucky We Leica. A protest by David Walker, the rider of Share The Blame, was dismissed.
• Dwayne Dunn has replaced the suspended Nash Rawiller on My Kingdom Of Fife in the Doomben Cup today week.
Dunn won the Doncaster Mile Prelude on the former English galloper at $A151 when My Kingdom Of Fife had his first Australian start on April 9.
Rawiller decided not to appeal a five-meeting suspension.
• Additional information for the meetings today:
Racing Rotorua
Scratchings
Race 4: Rockonby.
Race 7: Just Call Me Bond.
Race 9: Gendarme.
Weather, overcast; track, heavy (10); rail out 2.5m.
Taranaki RC
Riders
Race 9: Whisper To M - L Allpress; Anothahabit - J Riddell.
Scratchings
Race 1: Halogen.
Race 6: Regal Ruler.
Race 7: Madam Butterfly.
Race 8: Spartanicus.
Race 9: Bindi.
Weather, showery, track, heavy(10); rail, true.
NZ Metropolitan TC
Scratchings:
Race 4: Wee Brother, Fiery Rascal.
Race 5: Westwood Sioux.
Race 7: Miss Moonlite, Eleanor Roosevelt.
Race 8: Sundon's Sensation, Scant Regard.
Race 9: Cullens Spirit, Mach Cade.
Race 10: Christian Royal, Awesome delight.
Race 11: Code Red.
