KEY POINTS:
The most controversial decision of the Auckland harness racing season is proving to be so right it is making life uncomfortable at Alexandra Park.
When the Auckland Trotting Club changed their flagship race from a 3200m standing start to a 2700m mobile this season they copped howls of criticism from many traditionalists.
But with just three weeks until the cup, the move has proved to be the masterstroke which will save the ailing race.
Nominations for the $400,000 event on March 9 are so strong ATC officials are now losing sleep over whom to leave out, as well as fielding calls from Australian trainers willing to pay a $4500 late entry fee as well as their own way to Auckland.
So strong are nominations that horses like Mighty Cullen, The Flyin Doctor and Imagine That, who made the field for the New Zealand Cup in November, will need a miracle to get into the Alexandra Park feature.
With the cup having moved from December to March, it is much more viable for harness racing's most glamorous crop, four-year-olds, with three from that age heading the betting for this year's race.
And the move to a 2700m mobile means drawcards like Pay Me Christian, Monkey King, Awesome Armbro, Foreal and Slipnslide are now chasing starts.
None of that group would have contested the cup as a 3200m stand.
And protests that a 2700m mobile cup is open to producing a very short-priced favourite who leads and dominates the race now look laughable - just three weeks out from the race Pay Me Christian is a $6 favourite.
But ATC officials aren't playingthe I-told-you-so game.
"We are thrilled with the nominations we have, particularly the overseas horses and four-year-olds," said vice-president Rod Croon.
"But we are not going to rub our critics' noses in it. We knew at the time this was the best move for the industry and our club and we are just happy to be proved right.
"We want the Auckland Cup to be the strongest New Zealand harness race of the season and it looks like we are well on track for that."
Even die-hard Cantabrians couldn't argue that, as while the New Zealand Trotting Cup is this country's premier harness race the Auckland moves look set to ensure from now on the Auckland Cup will be New Zealand's strongest race.
The only problem ATC officials face is the field may be too strong for everybody's liking.
At least 20 of the nominees are worthy of a start in the 13-strong field, meaning some big names are going to miss out.
And one of those could be the club's own star, Awesome Armbro.
The exceptional four-year-old is raced by one of the successful ATC Trot Syndicates set up by the club but has yet to contest an open class and at the least would need to place in one of the feature races at Alexandra Park in the next 16 days to earn a spot in the field.
The same applies to stars like Mighty Cullen, Classic Cullen, The Flyin Doctor, Mr Williams, Mr Bojangles, Badlands Bute, Lord Vader, Nick Off Holme and remarkably even Australian pacer Reba Rajah.
The latter has won the group one Kilmore Cup this season as well as making the Interdominion Final but may only be on the cusp of selection.
Many of the Kiwi pacers who are borderline are starting tomorrow at either Alexandra Park or Addington but only wins in those races would appear to be enough to see them leapfrog those in the race.
"We have an idea of maybe the 10 or so most likely to get a start but the door is very much open," said Croon.
"The one thing I'd say to trainers is if they want a start, any form they can get in the next two weeks will be a huge help."
The crush for spots is not helped by the connections of both Slipnslide and Top Taper wanting to pay late entry fees, with both having to get starts on their form this season.
It is also safe to assume Flashing Red, Sly Flyin, Winforu, Foreal and Tribute are certainties after their recent open class performances while Mi Muchacho will get a start as defending champion if he is well.
Alta Serena, who resumes from injury tomorrow night, is as good as in while Pay Me Christian's 1:52.8 Australasian Mile record guarantees him a spot. He trialled brilliantly at Addington yesterday.
While things then get trickier, it is hard to imagine ATC officials bypassing locals Waitfornoone, who has won a group one race this season and two Alexandra Park cup races last season, and Napoleon, who capped a stellar December by winning the Franklin Cup.
That would be 12 spots gone with the last likely to fall to Monkey King.
He may have only won one open class race but is a Great Northern Derby winner and always a punters' favourite so could be favoured over open class horses with more convictions.
"I am not going into who will and won't make it at this stage, but let's just say a lot could change in the next few weeks," confirmed Croon.
Which already makes this the most exciting Auckland Cup in years.
