TWO OF THE standout New Zealand progeny of Macca Lodge sire Panspacificflight, Arden’s Choice and Little Rascal, have been nominated for the $250,000 Group I Auckland Trotting Cup at Alexandra Park on 31 December.
Already a Group I winner, Arden’s Choice has been in outstanding form for Clevedon trainer Barry Purdon at Alexandra Park this year, with three wins, four seconds and a third since early July, and has earned a shot at the open class horses in the Auckland feature.
Five-year-old gelding Little Rascal, from Panspacificflight’s stellar first crop here, is also in good form after four big runs in the South Island. Based at Robert Dunn’s Auckland stables, he was sent south for Cup Week racing. He took his earnings past $100,000 when he won at Addington on 14 October and then ran third to Dream About Me at Ashburton on Labour Day. He was only about a length behind her, in fourth, in the Junior Free-For-All on Cup Day and then ran second to Chase The Dream on Show Day. Six of Little Rascal’s eight wins have been at Alexandra Park.