Canterbury trainer Mark Purdon wants to pull champion pacer Auckland Reactor out of next month's New Zealand Cup.
He has written to the connections of the horse, through managing owner John Curtin, recommending that Auckland Reactor be withdrawn from the $1 million race on November 10.
At this stage it is expected the superstar pacer will still be racing on cup day in the $50,000 mobile Free for All and then in the $250,000 New Zealand Free for All on the second day, on Friday, November 13.
The largely North American- based owners were to be contacted overnight by Curtin, who thinks they will accept the trainer's recommendation.
Auckland Reactor has been dogged by a lack of confidence in standing starts both in public trials and race starts.
With cup week rapidly approaching, Purdon knew that a decision could not be postponed much longer.
"He is not getting any better at the start and while it hurts to bypass a $1m race, his long term career and stud potential is the most important thing," Purdon has told the owners.
"I am concerned that the way he reacts to standing starts he could injure himself and put himself out of more than the cup. That was my responsibility and was crucial to the recommendation I have made"
A $4m horse when sold to the Curtin-managed syndicate as a three-year-old, Auckland Reactor has huge stakes to race for in both hemispheres from mobile starts in the next 12 months. Success will lead to a high earnings stud career. That could all be put at risk with a standing start mishap.
He has won 24 of his 28 starts so far and more than $1.4m.
"Making the decision now means he can have five or six days rest to freshen up and come into the cup meeting at his best" Purdon said.
"I would not recommend that he be away from racing for too long, however."
The next major decision about Auckland Reactor will be when he heads to the northern hemisphere to prepare for the 2010 season there.
If he stays in New Zealand until March he can run for up to $2.9m in stakes, excluding standing starts. Even if he stays until December, after Addington he can run in the $A500,000 Miracle Mile in Sydney, the Treuer Memorial of $A100,000, the Victorian Cup of $A400,000. Over the summer he has the West Australian and South Australian Cups, the Interdominion heats and $A1m final and the $500,000 Auckland Cup to compete in.
"Those sort of opportunities seem too good to miss but that is up to the owners," Curtin said.
"Some may want to get him up there earlier. That is what we will be discussing."
Auckland Reactor broke badly at the start of his seasonal race debut at Addington two weeks ago and was not much better when a starting non-competitor in four workouts at Motukarara last Saturday morning.
"He was consistent but, unfortunately, it was not consistently good," Purdon said.
NZPA