Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup

24 February 2004
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24 February, 2004

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Boom Kiwi stayer Just An Excuse (pictured) will head an imposing New Zealand assault on this Saturday night?s $400,000 Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley.

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Six New Zealand-trained pacers will line up in the world?s richest handicap, including the Tim Butt-trained Mister D G, a son of 1994 & 95 Hunter Cup hero Blossom Lady.

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The Robert Mitchell-trained Just An Excuse, an emphatic winner at his Australian debut in the Cadbury Ballarat Cup on 14 February, has been installed the $2.60 TAB Sportsbet favourite despite sharing the 10 metre backmark in a world class 14 horse field.

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Joining he and Mister D G on a potent Trans-Tasman raid are the Barry Purdon-trained four-year-olds Miracle Man and Napoleon, along with last start Moonee Valley Cup winner All Hart (Geoff Small) and fast-finishing runner-up Jagged Account (Brent Lilley).

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Purdon is no stranger to Hunter Cup success having prepared back-to-back winners of Australia?s premier harness race in 1996-97 with Vics Vance and Surprise Package.

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Leading the Aussies into battle will be hometown hero and $6.50 second elect Sokyola ? a last start runner-up in the Ballarat Cup and a winner of this season?s Miracle Mile. He?ll be ably supported by last year?s Hunter Cup winner Mont Denver Gold amongst others.

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The field for the $400,000 Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup (Group 1), to be run at 10pm (AEST) on 28 February over 3050 metres, is;

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1

21133

SIR ROMULUS (1 EM)

A. BROWN

MATTHEW CRAVEN (C)

$35

FT

2

14031

MIRACLE MAN (NZ)

B. PURDON

SCOTT PHELAN (C)

$9.00

FT

3

23652

JAGGED ACCOUNT (NZ)

B. LILLEY

JOHN CALDOW

$12

FT

4

15304

JONELLS SON (VIC)

P. MANNING

KERRYN GATH

$23

FT

5

39756

WALLY WALTON (VIC)

M. GATH

MATTHEW GATH

$81

FT

6

30124

FLASHING RED (WA)

C. WARWICK

JUSTIN WARWICK

$10

FT

7

04220

COUNTRY WAYS (NSW)

B. HANCOCK

BLAKE FITZPATRICK (C)

$21

FT

--------------------Second Row-----------

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8

32432

NAPOLEON (NZ)

B. PURDON

TONY HERLIHY

$8.00

FT

9

57521

ALL HART (NZ)

G. SMALL

DAVID BUTCHER

$26

FT

10

45312

TRICKY VIC (WA)

M. REED

MARK REED

$41

FT

11

03314

MISTER D G (NZ) [ODS]

T. BUTT

ANTHONY BUTT

$10

FT

12

12122

SOKYOLA (VIC)

L. JUSTICE

LANCE JUSTICE

$6.50

10m

13

12467

MONT DENVER GOLD (VIC)

B. ALFORD

CHRIS ALFORD

$17

10m

14

33548

SMOOTH SATIN (NSW)

S. TURNBULL

STEVE TURNBULL

$35

10m

15

31721

JUST AN EXCUSE (NZ)

R. MITCHELL

TODD MITCHELL

$2.60

10m

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