The strangest New Zealand Trotting Cup build-up in years got even weirder yesterday when two horses not even going to the great race quinellaed one of its biggest lead-ups.
Spankem led home fellow four-year-old Pats Delight in the $50,000 Kaikoura Cup, with horses who were considered serious chances for the $800,000 New Zealand Cup at Addington in two weeks well beaten.
Spankem, a one-time top juvenile has won just one race in 10 starts since, missing most of last term after an unsuccessful Victoria Derby campaign. And because he is only finding his feet again after seven months away from the track, he isn't even entered for the Cup.
Pat's Delight was good enough to win the Harness Jewels and almost snare the NZ Derby last season but he isn't heading to the NZ Cup either, with the pair likely to contest the junior free-for-all on Cup day and then potentially the NZ Free-For-All on November 16.
Not that Spankem's trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen need another Cup starter, as they have five aimed at the race and will be charged with fending off an increasingly-strong looking Australian team.