SUNDAY’S time-honoured Redwood meeting takes on huge international importance this year.
Three star trotters will cap their preparations for New Zealand raids across two of the features at Maryborough’s biggest day of the year.
Leading the way is Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix, who looks to be building after a slower than expected start to this campaign.
There was lots to like about his strong fifth from a bad draw and an impossible position in the Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint at Melton on October 18.
It was enough to convince trainer-driver Chris Svanosio to push ahead with the six-year-old fourth trip across the ditch.
The last time Arcee Phoenix went to NZ, he brilliantly beat a hot field in the TAB Trot at Cambridge on April 4.
“I couldn’t ask any more of him from where he was and the way the race was run in the Bill Collins,” Svanosio said.
Arcee Phoenix will certainly appreciate the much longer 2690m trip compared to the 1720m of the Bill Collins.
But the draw will make it hard again, especially with brilliant young mare Jilliby Ballerini (gate five) drawn inside Arcee Phoenix (six).
It almost certainly means Jilliby Ballerini, who has won nine of her 12 starts this season, will work forward and find the lead.
Jilliby Ballerini, who ran a slashing second to stablemate Keayang Zahara in the Bill Collins, is also NZ-bound.
She and Arcee Phoenix will be joined by fellow Victorian trotter Parisian Artiste and gifted Queenslander Gus in the $NZ400,000 Group 1 Dominion Trot on November 11 at Addington.
They are all expected to back up three days later in the $NZ100,000 Group 1 NZ Trotting free-for-all at the same track.
Joining them on the trip will be NSW Trotters’ Derby and Oaks winner Gatesys Gem, who is favourite to add the Group 1 Victoria Trotters’ Derby at Maryborough on Sunday.
Gatesys Gem has a slot in the $NZ500,000 The Ascent at Addington on November 11 and will stay on for the Group 1 NZ Trotting Oaks a week later.
Another Victorian star Tracy The Jet, unbeaten in six runs this campaign, will join Gatesys Gem in those two NZ features.
The NZ Cup Week build-up extends to Menangle tomorrow (Saturday) night where mighty stayer Swayzee will be out to prove he’s back on target to chase a record-equalling third successive NZ Cup win.
Jason Grimson’s stable star has been beaten in both runs this campaign, but is a commanding favourite to strike back in the 1609m Graham McNeice free-for-all.
Victory would see Swayzee join Leap To Fame and Kingman to give Australia three major players in the $NZ1 million NZ Cup on November 11.
Other Australians bound for NZ Cup features include HI Manameisjeff (Group 1 NZ free-for-all on November 14), Fate Awaits ($NZ500,000 The Velocity o/n November 14) and Kyvalley Ray (Group 1 2YO Sires’ Stake final on November 14).
