A decision by trainer Hamish Hunter to bypass the Roxburgh Cup and aim at the Cromwell Cup with Acolyte could pay off at the Wyndham Harness Racing Club meeting at Cromwell on Saturday.

 

Acolyte upset calculations with his last start win in the Gore Trotting Cup on December 27.

 

“I felt that with the bigger stake($14,000 against $10,000) the competition would be stronger at Roxburgh and he (Acolyte) is so good on grass the Cromwell Cup was the best option. I also wanted to space his races,’’ said Hunter. 

 

Acolyte outfinished  the talented Captain Dolmio in  blustery conditions at Gore. He has won on grass at Waikouaiti and finished second  at Cromwell the past two years. He ran second to Clive in the Cromwell Cup 12 months ago. Clive is among his rivals again but he is not in the same form as last year.

 

Acolyte finished second to Perissa on grass at Oamaru last month and she could prove a more formidable rival. Perissa, finished third on grass at Reefton at her last start. She has won twice  on the testing Methven track. She will be driven by Blair Orange with Samantha Ottley opting for stablemate Glenferrie Classic.

 

A last start winner over a mile in 1.55.9, Glenferrie Classic, won at Methven last month and has to rate highly.

 

Stylish Duke. whose four wins have been on grass, has the chance to enhance his record in race 10. He has won at Methven Oamaru, Waikouaiti and Motukarara. The Murray Tapper-trained gelding ran third first up at his meeting last year and more recently staged a big run for fourth on grass at Rangiora.

 

Dark Horse could prove a stumbling block. She has won easily at Ascot Park and Winton at her last two starts. She has strengthened since she won at Cromwell last year.

 

McLovin is a trifecta chance. He won at Omakau on Monday and on grass at Oamaru last month.

 

She’s A Flyin, another winner at Omakau, also has in her favour for race 5 that she has won on grass. She’s A Flyin and Righteous Brother give trainer Regan Todd a strong hand in the race.

 

Razor Rascal who won first up at this meeting last year, is starting afresh in race 11. He was last in a six-horse trial at Cromwell on December 31 after a trial win at Oamaru on December 14.

 

Man I’m Good (race 8), All Jokes Aside (race 9) and Mon Richie (race 10) are other winners from the meeting last year engaged.