By MICHAEL GUERIN
The worst miscalculation of the harness racing season had a happy ending yesterday.
The final acceptances for the Interdominions closed with 18 New Zealand horses headed for Brisbane, nine pacers and nine trotters.
While none of the Kiwi trotters was ever in danger of missing a start, the last New Zealand pacer to make the cut for the 36-strong pacing series, Pic Me Pockets, only made it by one spot.
In an ill-informed oversight by those compiling the rankings for the series, Pic Me Pockets was ranked 55th among the early acceptors but a last-start second coupled with withdrawals have catapulted him into the series.
Had he not made the series it would have been an almost laughable misjustice, as he won the group one Messenger Championship last season, the Franklin Cup this season and ran fifth in the Auckland Cup but was ranked below Australian horses who wouldn't even get a start in such races.
"I am glad he is in because he deserves to be there," said trainer Barry Purdon.
"He is already in Christchurch preparing for the Easter Cup on Friday and I think it is a race he can win because I am very happy with him since he last raced."
Pic Me Pockets gives Purdon a three-pronged attack, along with Holmes D G and trotter Mountain Gold, on the championships which start at Albion Park on April 21. The $A200,000 Trotting Grand Final is on April 28 and the $A400,000 Pacing Grand Final on May 5.
Tim Butt and Mark Purdon will have the strongest representations, with Butt having qualified Pocket Me and Happy Asset for the pacing series and Take A Moment and Eastnor Lad for the trotters. Butt's champion Lyell Creek was officially withdrawn yesterday as he prepares for his Northern Hemisphere campaign.
Mark Purdon will take Ouch and Cigar to Brisbane for the pacers' series and Last Sunset and Sundon's Way for the trotters' section.
Pukekohe trainers Dave and Clare McGowan will have a surprise double representation, with intermediate grade trotter Timmo joining 1999 Grand Final winner Special Force, who was an unlucky fifth in his comeback race at Moonee Valley on Saturday night.
The other New Zealanders in the pacing series are Yulestar, Flight South and Homin Hosed while Fleur's Invasion and Game Bid, now back with original trainer Brent Lilley, round out the New Zealand trotting team.
Atitagain is still a clear favourite for the pacing series on both sides of the Tasman, ahead of Shakamaker.
Yulestar, the most favoured of the Kiwis with Australian bookies, shares the $11 mark with Persistency, just ahead of Ouch and Courage Under Fire at $13.
Holmes D G, who will have a workout at Pukekohe on Saturday before flying out next Thursday, is rated a $15 chance with the Melbourne Betting Shop.
But loyal Waikato supporters can get huge odds for their local stars, with Flight South and Homin Hosed both at $81.
The Rowe Cup brought dramatic moves in the trotters' market.
Last Sunset, who was a solid third in the Rowe Cup and has the adavntage of a front line handicap in Brisbane, is a tight $3 favourite, ahead of Take A Moment at $3.75. The latter has his final lead-up at Addington on Friday after winning a trial there since he last raced.
Fleur's Invasion's storming second to Lyell Creek has seen her rocket up the markets to $6.50 third favouritism while Mountain Gold, at one stage the second favourite, has drifted to $7, ahead of Sundon's Way at $9 and Special Force at $10.
The New Zealand TAB has yet to open a market on the trotting series but as Lyell Creek has been officially withdrawn, they will start betting this week.
"We didn't open a market with Lyell Creek nominated because it wouldn't be fair to take money when we knew he was going to pull out," said TAB bookie Kevin Gutschlag.
Racing: Pic Me Pockets lucky not to be robbed
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