Racing: Stunningly cramped odds for NZ Cup favourite

Photo / Richard Robinson

Like father, like son?

The TAB bookies obviously think so as they now rate Stunin Cullen the equal of his famous father Christian Cullen heading into the New Zealand Cup two weeks from today.

The little pacer may not look anything like his Dad but after his effortless win in yesterday's Ashburton Flying Stakes he is rated a $1.80 chance to win the New Zealand Cup.

That mirrors the odds offered for Christian Cullen after he won the Flying Stakes in 1998 on his way to winning the Cup, in which he eventually paid $1.90.

Christian Cullen, of course, beat Iraklis in the Flying Stakes and was a genuine champion, so his short Cup odds were justified.

But Stunin Cullen deserves to be hot for the Cup because he doesn't have to beat anything like an Iraklis or, for that matter, any other horse at the peak of its powers at the moment.

With Monkey King continuing to blow his standing starts, Smoken Up beaten at Kilmore on Sunday and Kiwi Ingenuity only a solid third yesterday, it is hard to find a horse to beat Stunin Cullen in two weeks.

His trainer Tim Butt says his job is now simply to not make any mistakes.

"He won't need much work between now and the Cup," said Butt.

"So we will bring him back here [Ashburton] next Tuesday where he can have his final workout.

"That means he won't have to go anything special, we can please ourselves how hard we push him and he will have a week before the Cup."

Having trained Flashing Red to win two New Zealand Cups, Butt knows what a winner needs and he is confident without being cocky with Stunin Cullen. "He is definitely the horse to beat because he steps so well and is racing at his peak, whereas some others might not be.

"But he will still need luck. It isn't a case like Flashing Red when you just knew he would love the 3200m of the Cup."

The draw will now be crucial because Stunin Cullen has developed into such a fast beginner a front-line barrier would leave him with plenty of options.

"But if we draw the second line and get back in the field it becomes a hell of a lot harder."

Regardless of where he draws the $1.80 price for Stunin Cullen today is going to look farcical in two weeks, especially as Monkey King and Smoken Up, with their huge Australian followings, will have strong support in the co-mingled win pool.

Of the beaten brigade yesterday, Highview Tommy was solid in second, as was Kiwi Ingenuity in third, although she will need to improve to win the Cup. Remarkably, the best Cup trials outside of Stunin Cullen continue to come from Power Of Tara, who again ran on strongly yesterday and the rejuvenated stayer now looms as a serious place chance.

While Stunin Cullen dominates the open-class pacing scene, the trotters continue to be a mixed bunch, as evidenced by Ima Gold Digger winning yesterday's Flying Mile for Michelle Wallis.

He lived up to his family's awesome mile record when he made a lightning move at the 500m mark to put a winning break on Dr Hook.

It was a rare northern-trained winner at the major Canterbury meetings this season but suggested Ima Gold Digger was a chance in the main trots at the Cup carnival, which are lacking a superstar.

Yesterday's race was robbed of a superstar, too, when One Over Kenny galloped in the score-up and slipped her cropper over her tail, which the starter missed and left her behind, even as driver Tony Herlihy waved frantically to him.

She was declared a late scratching but exotic bets on her went on to favourite Springbank Richard, who never got warm, leaving a bad taste in some punters' mouths.

The other highlight of the day was the brilliant victory of 3-year-old Empyrean, who is now clearly the horse to beat in the Sires' Stakes Final.