Racing: Hill eyes third Monkey cup win

Brendon Hill. Photo / Natalie Slade

Trainer Brendon Hill has made a startling admission as he prepares pacing great Monkey King for a return to racing.

The two-time New Zealand Cup, Auckland Cup and Miracle Mile winner returns to the trials at Rangiora this Saturday as he begins his countdown toward the Interdominions, which start at Addington on March 25.

Monkey King finished second to Blacks A Fake in the Interdom Final last season and is clearly New Zealand's best chance in the series this season. But Hill said although he would love to win the series it was not his main aim for the year.

"To be honest I'd love to win a third New Zealand Cup with him more," he said. "Obviously I want to win both and I think we can, but if I had to choose I'd rather win the cup for the third time."

Only two horses - Indianapolis (1934-36) and False Step (1958-60) - have ever won the New Zealand Trotting Cup three times but it has become more achievable since the great race became a free-for-all three years ago.

But with Addington announcing stake cuts this week the cup could go as low as $600,000 this year, whereas the Interdominion Final on April 8 will be for $1 million.

"I know all that and we will be hard out to win them both but to win three cups would really be something special."

Hill said the Interdominions being on Monkey King's home track provided him with the perfect opportunity to go one better than last season.

"He loves Addington, Ricky [May] drives so well there and being able to train from home is a huge advantage, especially as the Australian horses have to come such a long way.

"It will be a hard series but I am sure he will handle it."

Monkey King will trial at Rangiora the next two Saturdays before resuming in the Spring Cup at Addington on February 5.

May will stay in New Zealand to drive him, meaning Hill will have to find a new driver for stablemate Power Of Tara, who is set to race in the A$425,000 ($545,000) Hunter Cup at Melton that night.

"Power Of Tara is still in Auckland and he is flying," said Hill. "He sat parked in a 1:53.6 mile at Cambridge last start and while he may not be a Monkey King he deserves his shot at those races in Aussie.

"So he will trial this weekend as well and then go to the Ballarat Cup next weekend and then the Hunter."

Hill said he had put Monkey King's last-start Miracle Mile failure behind him without finding an excuse for it.

"I looked at his leg speed and body language up the straight and he didn't really look interested to me," he said. "But he has had very few off days in his career so we have to move on.

"He is working awesome now."

Hill is still undecided whether champion filly Carabella will return to Alexandra Park in March for the Northern Oaks.

She in unbeaten in five starts at the Auckland track but has multiple group one targets this season and is still a chance to miss the classic. "She has a race in the middle of next month and I will make a decision after that."

One horse who will not be coming to Alexandra Park is Mr Feelgood, whose connections have backed away from an Auckland Cup start.

Trainer Luke McCarthy wants to spend more time in Queensland preparing for the Interdominions so will bypass Auckland with the horse.