Tony Herlihy. Photo / Martin Sykes
Gotta Go Cullen's campaign is over, parried on the sword of Changeover's brilliance.
The two great 3-year-old pacers met in their much-anticipated match race at Cambridge on Thursday night but after winning an intense early battle for the lead Changeover dominated his arch-rival.
With the race being a
qualifier for the Australian Breeders Crown, Changeover qualified for the semifinals of that series but Gotta Go Cullen's defeat meant he would have to have contested a repechage a week earlier.
And that is one reason the New South Wales Derby winner will now head to the spelling paddock.
New trainer Tony Herlihy, who took over Gotta Go Cullen yesterday after the colt was purchased by Canterbury owner Ian Dobson, says the decision was pretty obvious.
"He is a wonderful horse but the Breeders Crown is only one series and it won't be easy to go over there and beat Changeover or Lombo Pocket Watch," said Herlihy. "So Ian and I thought it was better to give him a decent spell now and then he has a lot ahead of him as a 4-year-old."
That will also mean Gotta Go Cullen misses the New Zealand Cup in November.
"I would like to have him back racing around Christmas and he will still have a lot of big 4-year-old races and maybe even the Auckland Cup to be aimed at."
Meanwhile, Changeover will head to Victoria around August 7 to prepare for the Breeders Crown semifinal on August 14 before the A$165,000 ($182,000) final on August 19.
He will be one of up to 10 New Zealand representatives at the Breeders Crown meeting.
The other almost certain contenders include One Dream, Belletti, Shez Spicey, Lizzie Maguire, Absolute Magic, Petite Sunset, Barefoot Zola and Justa Tiger.
