By MICHAEL GUERIN
The $100,000 New Zealand Derby has been turned on its head.
A week ago the April 14 classic was shaping as a clash between the two best three-year-olds in Australasia - Franco Heir and Young Rufus.
The pair quinellaed the Sires' Stakes Final at Addington in November and after missing the Victoria Derby were set for Christchurch, where only City Rogue appeared to stand in their way.
Not anymore.
Franco Heir, who returned to the track with a lazy win at Yarra Glen last week, was pulled out of Derby contention yesterday after his connections could not secure a direct flight to Christchurch from Melbourne.
"We wanted to be there because it is a great race and Addington suits him ideally," said trainer Jayne Davies.
"But it would be too much to ask him to fly to Auckland then float to Christchurch.
"He has a lot of big races ahead of him this season and we will head to the West Australia Derby in Perth instead."
A week ago Franco Heir's absence would have made Young Rufus a hot favourite in early Derby markets. But not after he disgraced himself at Alexandra Park last Friday night.
Young Rufus was a surprise favourite against virtual open class opponents like Classic Turbo and Pic Me Pockets but after leading started to hang uncontrollably and galloped in the home straight when beaten.
His lack of manners left champion reinsman Tony Herlihy shaking his head and when Rare Gem produced a huge winning effort three races later Herlihy decided to commit to him as his Derby drive.
That leaves trainer Mark Purdon to drive Young Rufus in the Derby, in which he will have three starters.
"I can understand Tony's decision because Rare Gem has continued to get better with every run and he is turning into a really good horse," said Purdon.
"We know how good Young Rufus is too but it is hard to win big races when you do things wrong."
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Exciting juvenile Mark McGuire has got a case of the Flying Babes.
The Tim Butt-trained pacer was a shock failure in the Juvenile Championship at Alexandra Park on March 16 and was diagnosed with a virus.
"But the worst part is he has failed to recover as quickly as we would have liked," said Butt.
"It was an unusual virus and the vet told us it was very similar to the one which flattened Flying Babe (Takanini star juvenile galloper)."
Butt says Mark McGuire's slow recovery is tempting him to spell him now for the rest of the season.
"He is a good horse and I don't want to take any risks with him," he said of the $90,000 Karaka sales topper from last season.
"He isn't eligible for the Sires' Stakes anyway so we wouldn't be missing too much and if I give him a good break now I don't really have to have him back to his best until the Great Northern Derby in December."
Butt's Auckland Cup winner Happy Asset will start at Timaru on Friday as his lead-up to next week's $100,000 Easter Cup and will need to show something special at Addington to warrant a trip to the Interdominions.
"I think he has lost some of his speed and he is only a 50-50 chance of going to Brisbane."
Stablemate Pocket Me will also return south for the Easter Cup before heading to Brisbane.
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Somebody in Australia has fallen in love with Ardmore trotter Last Sunset.
He may not even be open class but the 5-year-old is at an unbelievably short $3.25 with Melbourne bookies to win the Interdominion Trotting Grand Final on April 28.
He heads the Melbourne Betting Shop market from another newcomer to the big time in Take A Moment at $4, with established stars Mountain Gold ($5.50), Special Force ($7) and Sundon's Way ($9) the only other runners in single figures.
Last Sunset has been handicapped off the front line in the series and has been heavily backed since running second to Lyell Creek in the Australasian Trotting Championships last month.
But the market could change dramatically this week with many of the key players in the Rowe Cup and 1999 Interdom champ Special Force resuming in Melbourne, where he has come for an easier comeback race than he could have expected at home.
Grand circuit champion Holmes D G has been the big drifter in the pacers' market. He is now at $15, with Atitagain very short at $3.60 ahead of Shakamaker, who returned with an easy win at Moonee Valley last Saturday night, at $4.50.
Ouch, who beat Pocket Me and Cigar with a 56.7 second last 800m at the Alexandra Park workouts last Saturday, and Yulestar are at $13.
Racing: New Zealand Derby developments all good for Gem
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