By MICHAEL GUERIN
A mystery ailment has robbed Homin Hosed of the rest of his season.
The New Zealand Cup winner is undergoing intensive examination at Massey University in an effort to discover what is stopping him from returning to his best.
The pride of Waikato harness racing was spelled immediately after a dismal failure in the Auckland Cup in December and was being brought back up for a defence of the Easter Cup he won last season.
Trainer Bryan Macey was then hoping to take the gelding to Sydney for the Ben Hur but those plans have been sabotaged by a hoof problem which is causing Homin Hosed other problems.
"The hoof has been troubling him for over a year now and it is starting to affect his other legs," said Macey from Massey University yesterday.
"That was the problem at Auckland Cup time so I thought the spell would help it but over the past month he has been sore again.
"We haven't quite been able to work out what it is, which is why we are down here.
"We had the hoof x-rayed today and the results were good but he will have further scans tomorrow to try and determine exactly what is wrong with him."
Homin Hosed has not been comfortable in his trackwork and Macey has already given up on the rest of this season.
"The main thing is to get him right and we will take him home after this week and give him a break before aiming him for the New Zealand Cup."
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Homin Hosed is not the only northern star pulled off the Easter Cup trail, with Hawera returning home from her Addington cam- paign.
"She was just feeling a bit tired and she has a big season next year so I brought her home," said Hawera's trainer Mark Purdon.
But stablemate Sundon's Way is showing no signs of tiredness, even after spending the entire season playing second fiddle to Lyell Creek.
With Lyell Creek heading for the spelling paddock his Rowe Cup runner-up will now finally get a chance to shine.
Purdon is planning to take Sundon's Way back to Melbourne later this month to defend the $A50,000 Bill Collins Mile he won last year on April 29.
But stablemate Africa will be heading to Melbourne a lot sooner.
The dual Interdominion Grand Final runner-up leaves on Friday and will join the Robert Cameron stable.
That could prove a smart move as the gutsy mare is well suited by the tempo of Australian racing and will arrive in Victoria at a time when the trotting ranks there boast few genuine open class performers.
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Pic Me Pockets looks certain to be invited to the $A200,000 Chariots Of Fire next month.
The Messenger winner heads the short list of candidates for the group one Harold Park feature for 4-year-olds.
His Taylor Mile conqueror Mac De Stroyer was a possibility for the trip but is now in the spelling paddock.
"He has had an interrupted preparation and I wanted to give him a good spell then set him for the New Zealand Cup," said trainer-driver Todd MacFarlane.
Owner-trainer John MacQuibban is reluctant to take Classic Turbo to Australia just yet while the leading southern 4-year-old, Cigar, only came back into work this week.
That leaves Pic Me Pockets at the top of the list, much to trainer Barry Purdon's delight.
"He will be an ideal horse for Harold Park because he has gate speed and likes to roll along in his races," said Purdon.
An invite is expected within the week.
Purdon is also considering taking stable trotting star Mountain Gold south for the Easter Cup carnival.
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Any concerns her hard season was getting to Tupelo Rose disappeared at Moonne Valley on Saturday night.
The Kiwi-bred filly was below par when beaten by Dancing- onmoonlight in the New South Wales Oaks last month but bounced back with a win at Ballarat 11 days ago.
But that was nothing compared with her 25m win in a heat of the Victoria Oaks on Saturday night.
"That was as easy as any horse wins a heat of the Oaks," said driver Ted Demmler.
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Starting any new job is difficult.
But when I started casual presenting for Trackside this season I was lucky. It was made a lot easier by John Hall.
John was a floor manager for Trackside until his sudden death last Friday. He was only 50.
Nothing was a problem for John as he used his experience after five years with the channel to make guests and even the occasional new presenter feel at ease.
A loyal Waikato man he wouldn't stop smiling for hours after Homin Hosed won the New Zealand Cup at Addington in November, not just because of the Waikato connection but because it was the biggest triumph of young driver Todd Mitchell's life. But that was John, he enjoyed seeing other people succeed.
John was buried in Hamilton yesterday. He will be missed in the racing industry not only as a comp- lete professional but as a friend.
Racing: Experts called in as Cup winner's season ends
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