By Michael Guerin
Merlin’s New Zealand Cup campaign is back on track and he could even be joined by another stablemate in the great race.
The five-year-old recorded his first win in nearly a year in the $100,000 Alabar Kaikoura Cup and it was a proper victory too, coming from well off favourite Akuta to overpower him in the last 150m.
Akuta led early and was briefly challenged by Sooner The Bettor but Merlin still had to come from a long way back, three wide down the back straight, and run past the 2023 winner.
The win confirmed trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan’s belief they have the son of Art Major peaking at the right time.
“We were happy with him going into the race but they still have to do it on raceday,” said Purdon, who last won the Kaikoura Cup 24 years ago.
Merlin goes to the IRT NZ Cup with Sooner The Bettor, who stuck on well for fourth, while the stable are now just one withdrawal away from also having Better Knuckle Up in the Cup.
He sat 17th on Monday morning before Swayzee pulled out so is likely to be the first emergency at worst.
Another trainer sweating on getting a Group 1 start next Tuesday is Kevin Townley after Father Time was too good in the White Morph South Bay Trotters Cup.
He has hit a purple patch of form and had to be good sitting parked before holding out Bounce N Beyond and Midnight Dash in a race where hot favourite Oscar Bonavena again reminded punters of the pitfalls of backing backmarkers.
Townley knows a thing or two about good trotters and says Father Time has proven himself a genuine open class contender now.
“He has gone from being a good horse below that level to being an open class horse because he has just kept getting better,” said Townley.
“We were surprised how far down the rankings he was for the Dominion, he was 22nd I think before today, because his two recent wins hadn’t been in group races.
“So hopefully this win gets him in next Tuesday because we are keen to start.”
By far the easiest watch of the Kaikoura features for punters was The Lazarus Effect in the $50,000 NZBS Aged Classic.
The Bob Butt-trained four-year-old son of Lazarus quickly found the front and put a hole in his rivals later, winning by seven lengths in a 1:57.8 mile rate.
Bred by Martin Pierson and raced by the Alabar Syndicate, you get the feeling The Lazarus Effect could be back to chase the Alabar Kaikoura Cup next season.
And that level of race may not be his ceiling either as he is becoming one of the more exciting pacers in the country.
