By Michael Guerin
Iraklis plummeted to a new low on Saturday night. After a roller-coaster season the superstar pacer was an embarrassment to himself at Moonee Valley in what should have been an easy comeback race. Having his first start since finishing last in the Miracle Mile, Iraklis was a $1.20 favourite in a shocking field for the Poplar Alm Free-For-All.
It should have been a case of turning up to make a nice easy $10,000 before a return clash with Christian Cullen in the Victoria Cup. But it didn't work out that way.
Iraklis finished a pathetic second after hitting the lead at the top of the straight.
Second in an open class race doesn't sound too bad, especially for a stallion who has not raced for six weeks. But Iraklis was clearly beaten by Hushed World, who is a battling claimer old enough to vote.
Hushed World came out of the trail to run down Iraklis, who sat parked for the last lap in a 1960m event in which the winner didn't even break a 2:0 mile rate.
There were no excuses. Before the race trainer Robert Cameron said Iraklis has been working brilliantly.
Afterwards he was stunned. And driver Ricky May could only shake his head. "It's a damn shame really," said May in the tone of voice people use when they are reading an obituary.
"He looked super, felt super for 90 per cent of the race but when I asked him to zoom away at the top of the straight he just wouldn't let down like he used to.
"I just can't believe it. Go back to November and I reckon he was racing in the best form of his career."
Iraklis will still contest the $A250,000 Victoria Cup on Saturday but he would need to improve 10 lengths to threaten Christian Cullen. Physically Iraklis seems perfect. But the reality is he may not want to be a racehorse anymore.
Merinai to miss Moonee carnival
Champion trotter Merinai has been pulled out of the Moonee Valley summer carnival. The reigning Horse of the Year disappointed when only eighth at Alexandra Park on Friday night and trainer Mark Purdon says he will now give her time to get ready for the Interdominions.
"I actually don't think she went that bad because it was a very hard race for those at the back to make ground in," said Purdon.
"But James Stormont said she didn't feel as good as the week before. If she went to Melbourne that would mean three hard races in two weeks.
"I would rather have her here at home getting her back to her best for the Interdoms."
Stablemate Sundon's Way was also slightly below his best on Friday night but will still head to Melbourne on Tuesday for the heats of the Australasian Trotters Championships, which start on Saturday.
While Merinai won't be going to Melbourne, Purdon will be an unexpected participant in the carnival.
He has been forced into driving Buster Hanover and Sundon's Way after brother-in-law Tony Herlihy was suspended for two weeks at Moonee Valley on Saturday night.
Herlihy was found guilty of allowing Buster Hanover to tighten National Interest in the Dullard Cup, causing the Aussie trotter to break.
Herlihy will be back in time to driver Buster Hanover in the $A100,000 final on January 30.
Victoria Cup favourite
Christian Cullen's odds for the Victoria Cup tumbled even further on Saturday night without the wonder horse even going near a racetrack. While the sensation of the season was always going to be a hot favourite for this Saturday's $A250,000 grand circuit leg, the only Australian rated a chance to push him suffered another loss on Saturday night.
Our Sir Vancelot failed to justify his $1.60 favouritism in the $A100,000 South Australia Cup in Adelaide, finishing a battling third.
Although trapped wide for the last lap the dual Interdom hero should still have been too good.
But he was out of gas at the 100m mark and was downed by former Cambridge pacer Ryan's Day, who led throughout.
Champion horseman Brian Hancock was fuming with his driving performance after the race, saying he drove the great horse like a sack of horse manure, or words slightly harsher than that which you can print in a newspaper.
Not many punters were arguing with him on that one.
Horse racing: Beaten Iraklis shadow of former self
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