By MIKE DILLON
Dandy Dancer pulled up sore after working yesterday and is a doubtful starter for Saturday's $500,000 Blue Star Auckland Cup.
Tuesday's dashing Nathan's Handicap winner is sore in a front joint.
"We've had it x-rayed and they can find nothing wrong with the joint, so it's probably only bruising," said co-trainer Debbie Sanders yesterday.
"We packed the leg in ice and he's a fair bit better this afternoon."
The Sanders stable has yet to engage a Cup jockey - Mark Sweeney who rode him to win on Tuesday was already engaged for Ana Zeel, who chased the Sanders' other Cup runner Magic Winner home in Sunday's Queen Elizabeth.
"We are not too worrried, we will wait unti it is certain he can run."
"If he doesn't run there is a possibility he could start in the JRA Classic on the last day."
Sanders said she and her father Graeme were delighted with the way Magic Winner had trained on.
Dandy Dancer's possible Cup defection should be a delight for Bruce Marsh, trainer of the first emergency Classic Tudor, but a headache came with the news.
"Who can I get to ride him?" said Marsh.
Darryl Bradley rode Classic Tudor into second behind Toyko Beau in the Manawatu Cup last week.
"But it looked like the horse was going to struggle to make the Cup field and Darryl wasn't prepared to risk missing out all round and he took rides at Hastings," said Marsh.
"Raising the weights a kilo when Aerosmith pulled out will help. It's always easier on 52kg than 51kg, but I'm struggling to find someone to ride him."
And Marsh still has to sweat until the last moment on whether Dandy Dancer takes his place.
If Dandy Dancer is withdrawn it still leaves the race sponsor Eric Watson with Australian mare Rose Of Tralee to run in his colours.
Racing: Cup cloud hanging over Dandy Dancer
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