New Zealand's premier harness racing event has failed to attract the top talent from across the Tasman.
Duel Inter Dominion champion Beautide will not cross the Tasman for the $750,000 New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 10. His absence follows on from top Australian pacer I'm Themightyquinn not racing in the cup during his dominant career which officially ended this year after earlier retirements. Beautide's trainer James Rattray reported to the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club that his winner of 45 races and more than $2 million in stakes would be behind the eight ball for a cup campaign before heading to Perth in a bid for a third consecutive Inter Dominion crown.
Also missing from the nominations for the Group I is the Belinda McCarthy trained For A Reason who ran third at Addington last season.
For A Reason is understood to be targeting the Inter Dominions which start earlier than usual in late November with the final on December 13 at Gloucester Park.
In total 40 nominations were received by the 3pm cut off on Monday. That number is three up on last year but the quality is well down. Underneath the top liners there is a noticeable jump down in class.
Ten Australians are nominated but it would be difficult to mount a winning argument for any of them, even at this early stage and many would consider them second tier open class pacers.
The pick of them are arguably former Kiwis Arden Rooney and Messini and of the 10 only Mach Beauty and Forever Gold were not bred or raced in New Zealand.
Cran Dalgety has four runners nominated with likely favourite Christen Me joined by Major Bubbles, Mighty Flying Mac and Bit Of A Legend.
Sky Major, Te Kawau, Tiger Tara, Franco Nelson, Saveapatrol, Ohoka Punter, Smolda and Dalton Bromac are also likely attract attention in futures markets.
Choise Achiever, who ran fifth behind Terror To Love way back in 2011, is in the nominations for Tim Butt after returning to the workouts earlier this year despite not racing since December 2013.
Only Franco Nelson, Christen Me, Tiger Tara, Franco Ledger and Arden Rooney will be returning from last year's field.
Notable omissions are Locharburn and Isaiah. Locharburn was in the futures market despite trainer Kevin Chapman confirming sometime ago he was likely to play the safe option and miss the cup.
A former Derby winner, Locharburn was looking right on track for the 2014 cup after pushing Christen Me to a neck in the National Handicap but was withdrawn from the field soon after because of injury.
All Stars runner Isaiah's absence will come as a surprise to many as the only top four-year-old from last season missing from the nominations.
NZ Trotting Cup nominations: Saveapatrol, Messini, Mighty Flaying Mac, Major Bubbles, Bit Of A Legend, Christen Me, Franco Nelson, Venus Serena, Tiger Tara, Mossdale Conner, Delightful Dash, Te Kawau, Arden Rooney, Dalton Bromac, Ohoka Punter, Smolda, Quick As A Trick, Alleluia, Bettor Dream, Lancewood Lizzie, Sky Major, Belkmyster, Forever Gold, Mach's Gladiator, Mach Beauty, Jivin Cullen, Easy On The Eye, Lewy Risk, Brilliant Strike, No Doctor Needed, Jason Rulz, Ideal Success, Choise Achiever, Im Corzin Terror, Chancellor Cullen, Provocative Prince, Franco Ledger, Major Star, Zakspatrol, Ballindooley.
By Mat Kermeen