By Jonny Turner
The king is coming.
Australia’s loss is Omakau’s gain with the undisputed heavyweight champion of New Zealand trotting Sundees Son set to start on Central Otago Cup Day for the first time since his record-smashing win in the Dominion.
Almost certainly the best trotter in Australasia lines up in free-for-all company on Sunday and is set to start at incredibly short odds in his 2000m mobile assignment.
Trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn and key team members Craig Edmonds and John Dunn were getting their star trotter ready for some serious Australian targets before New Zealand’s border changes forced a change of plans.
Given he had Group One events on his agenda, Sundees Son is fit and ready to show the Central Otago crowd just how classy he is.
“He is well up to the mark, Johnny and Craig have been really pleased with him,” Robert Dunn said.
“We were getting him ready for Australia but we have pulled the pin on that with the border rules changing.”
“He trialled at Ashburton and he trialled very good, so we are pleased with him.”
The Dunn team have plenty of options ahead for Sundee’s Son following his resuming run at Omakau
It is possible the champion trotter could contest feature trot races in the lower South Island in the coming weeks.
Punters are unlikely to get rich backing Sundee’s Son on Monday and may look to cash in by anchoring him in quinellas and trifectas.
The Dominator looks one of the strongest quinella option with the favourite given he gets the mobile sprint conditions he likes.
Andy Hall looks another big top three chance in the event.
The team behind Alta Wise Guy will be out to make the most of his draw advantage over his rivals in Sunday’s pacing feature, the Group 3 Central Otago Cup.
The Steve and Amanda Telfer trained four-year-old starts from barrier 3 with his main rivals Laver (5) and Classie Brigade (8) outside him.
Alta Wise Guy comes into the Central Otago Cup after continuing his brilliant spring form by winning the Methven Green Mile in his latest outing.
Amanda Telfer said the pacer has continued to thrive since that win in which he downed Classie Brigade.
“He is in a really good place at the moment,” the trainer said.
“I have been very happy with him, he is fit and very well and he should go another good race.”
Laver also comes into Sunday’s feature on the back of an outstanding win in the Ashburton Cup.
The Geoff and James Dunn trained pacer reeled off some of the best closing sectionals of his career when speeding to victory.
