By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Group One performer Hot And Treacherous will begin his path towards the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
The 10-win pacer was in outstanding form earlier this year, posting two wins and four placings from nine starts, including victories in the Gr.3 Summer Cup (2200m) and Gr.2 Pacers Flying Mile (1609m), and was runner-up in the Gr.1 Taylor Mile (1609m).
Trainers Brian and Gareth Hughes were pleased with their gelding’s sole workout in the lead-up to his first-up run, where he beat star trotter Bolt For Brilliance.
“He had a workout a fortnight ago and had a nice hit-out there,” Gareth Hughes said.
“It is his first run back and he seems well.”
Hot And Treacherous will be joined on the 20m back mark by fellow New Zealand Trotting Cup aspirant Old Town Road.
“It is a handy field for what is going around up here at the moment, but a couple of them have gone down south already,” Hughes said.
“We are trying to get some racing into him up here to see whether we end up going down to the Cup this year or not.
“It is a race you want to be in, but if we get there we get there and if we don’t, we don’t. There are still plenty of other racing coming up in the near future.
“There is another race for him up in Auckland in a fortnight and then another at Cambridge.”
The Hughes stable is currently light on racing numbers, but the Ardmore barn are looking forward to heading back to Cambridge Raceway next week after Whispering Artist’s debut win at the Waikato track last week.
“I thought Whispering Artist’s run at Cambridge last week was a pretty big run first-up,” Hughes said.
“She is going back to Cambridge next week and we are looking at the Nevel R with her.”
