Racing: Harness Jewels hopefuls lose their lustre

Franco Emirate is on track for the Harness Jewels. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Harness Jewels landscape has changed dramatically after a weekend when bigger was definitely better.

The $1.2 million raceday at Ashburton is less than a month away on June 6, but the markets for its glamour race have been rocked by the struggles facing some of our best 4-year-old pacers.

A few weeks ago when Smiling Shard was the first Kiwi pacer home in the Interdominion Final the male 4-year-old pacing division of the Jewels looked his to lose.

However, the full rigours of the Interdominions are now taking their toll, with Smiling Shard and the other 4-year-olds who contested the final looking exhausted.

They were clearly outshone by Franco Emirate in last Friday's $100,000 Messenger at Alexandra Park and Smiling Shard's trainer Cran Dalgety admits he has a problem.

"I tried to freshen him up by giving him a few days off after the Interdoms but I am now thinking he might need a month off," Dalgety said.

"He was tired last Friday, so I will start swimming him and try and get him to the Jewels in the best shape I can.

"But that Interdominion has really tuckered some of these horses out." And that is playing into the hooves of horses like Franco Emirate, Gomeo Romeo and Mach Banner, who were all nominated for the Interdoms but allowed to miss it.

Franco Emirate is now the $3.50 second favourite behind Smiling Shard at $3 for their Jewels clash, but you won't find anybody rushing to take the latter price.

The other big mover in that market has been Pukekohe pacer Pure Power.

Like Franco Emirate, he is a giant, pushing 17 hands, but that didn't stop him downing some open-class stars in the Rangiora Classic on Sunday.

He has moved in from $31 to $7.50 for the 4-year-old Jewels after trainer Dave McGowan's bold move to take him south to qualify for the Jewels.

"He is a far better horse left-handed and we feel so lucky to have him because he almost died late last year," said McGowan.

Other big movers in the Jewels markets have been Cowgirls N Indians in the juvenile filly pace, coming into $2.80 favouritism.

Flying Isa is in from $3.50 to $2 in the juvenile trot, while the most confusing division is the juvenile male pace.

Long-time favourite Fly Like An Eagle suffered his first career defeat when looking average in the A$305,000 Australasian Pacing Gold Final at Melton on Friday night. That race was won by his Mark Purdon-trained stablemate Mr Nickel, who couldn't win a maiden race at Cambridge last month but has improved lengths since heading to Australia.

Mr Nickel will not be at the Jewels because eligibility is based on stakemoney won in New Zealand only, so even though he has won a race worth nearly $400,000 he won't make the cut.

He will stay in Australia for the Vicbred Series, whereas the juvenile Jewels division looks up for grabs.

Both that and the 3-year-old filly division could change further in the next two weeks with premier racing at Addington this Saturday (daytime meeting) and the following Friday.

Meanwhile, the reports on last season's Harness Jewels winning filly Bettor Cover Lover are encouraging.

The Pukekohe filly suffered a horrific career-ending injury being loaded on a plane the day after her Victoria Oaks victory last month.

There were initially fears for her life but trainer Brent Mangos says vets are less worried about infection now and they hope Bettor Cover Lover can make an almost full recovery.

But a racetrack return still seems most unlikely, with the multiple group one winner being saved for a broodmare career.

SHAKEN UP

* Several Harness Jewels markets have been thrown wide open.
* Some of our best 4-year-old pacers are struggling to recover from a hard Interdominion series.
* Franco Emirate and Pure Power provided a feature-race double for giant pacers over the weekend.