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Good Luck with AR. I saw him race 2-3 times and loved the way he went and I hope he returns to battle it out with the elite. However, John, NZ records are made to be broken so just because Monkey King hasn't got any,he still has 2 NZ Cups, that can never be taken away from him unlike a record.
Hi John
As a fan of A.R it would be appreciated if you could up date us once a month on how the horse is going, and i do hope he gets back to his best and makes the Auckland cup and the Inters. Will that be rushing him or has he been in light work whilst performing his stud duties?
Go the Monkey. Lets watch Auckland Reactor fail once again
Hopefully, for the sake of the horse, the PR bus that surrounds him will take a step back and let him get to the track without each start being a test of his greatness. The pressure on horse, trainer and driver must be enormous when there is so much hype generated around him. Australian Rules football coach Denis Pagan famously said; "If you're any good, you don't have to tell anyone... They'll tell you!"
Your right on Termite, I like the horse for the most he bought great PR almost hysteria for the sport its only when the owners started talking him up that his form went south, they need to take a step back and let the horse do the talking I hope he can come back bigger and better it will make Harness Racing better for it. Unfortunately there now is a legion of AR haters due to all the hype put out there before his failure in the US, anyone who doubts this hoses potential check his 3 losses in NZ out
I dont know what some of you people are smoking but I want some because it must be the best mind alterating substance of all time. Auckland Reactor was a two time horse of the year at the same time as Changeover and Monkey King were racing. Why. Because he beat both of them up. The Auckland Cup of 2009 is the race you will never want to watch if you are a Monkey King or Changeover fan. Auckland Reactor gives both of them 20 lengths start and rounds them up. The hype was simply in response to some unbelivable runs. Will he come back. Dont know. But if he does the rest are only running for second.
Hi Southern Man
I agree with you but hopefully they let the horse do the talking this time as i don't think so many people would be negative on the horse if the owners had of kept quite and let the results speak for themselves. The race that stands out for me would be a 4yr old race when All Tiger beats him it's a standing start race A.R gallops out looses 60-70m then catchs the field then goes around and sits parked that was a great effort. I suggest the people who bag the horse go to Harness Racing n.z web site and watch this race and then come back and make your comments because once you have a close look at the race i think you might change your mind.
Mr. JC was going to drop by for an update, but in the meantime here's something from the Herald today. I love the granny to the mailbox line :)
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Mark Purdon has devised a master plan for Auckland Reactor - he is going to pretend the last year of the great pacer's harness racing career didn't happen. Purdon has the one-time wonder horse back in work after a disastrous past 13 months which has seen him go from being rated one of our greatest-ever pacers to a flop in the Northern Hemisphere and then a stalled stallion career.
Just last November, the son of Mach Three thrashed his rivals on New Zealand Cup Day but what followed was nothing short of a nightmare for his owners.
He was beaten when attacked in the New Zealand Free-For-All, raced like he had concrete shoes in the Miracle Mile and then embarked on a United States campaign that was nothing short of pathetic.
He returned home to moderate interest as a stallion and after a partial change of ownership he is now back being tried as a racehorse.
He connections are hoping throat surgery and a return to Purdon will help him return to his best in time for the Auckland Cup and Interdominions in March and April.
And Purdon says that is not impossible.
"If it was the throat that was troubling him all along then maybe the operation will clear that up," said Purdon.
"Either way it is great to have him back and I have to forget about what has happened and just train him like I did in the past.
"That is the only option I really have and if he comes back to his best, great."
Purdon says the early signs are good for a return to something like Auckland Reactor's dominant form.
"He looks the same and his behaviour and attitude around the place are the same," he enthuses.
"Whether his throat is all right we won't really know until it goes under raceday pressure, or at least till he trials."
That is planned for early February, with Purdon hoping that will provide a springboard to racing in late February.
"If he can do that and everything is fine then the aim will be the Auckland Cup and the Interdominions."
While such aims could sound fanciful for a horse who couldn't beat Granny to the mailbox in the United States, such a comeback is not unprecedented in New Zealand harness racing in recent years.
Champion trotter Lyell Creek returned from an admittedly successful career in North America looking to be retired but was able to be weaned off anti-bleeding drug Lasix and went on to win the Dominion Handicap and Rowe Cup again.
But he was renowned for his mental and physical toughness, while doubts still remain over those aspects of Auckland Reactor's make-up.
Still, his frailties might have been caused by his throat problems and it is too early to doubt Purdon's enthusiasm.
The training legend had group one goals a little closer foremost in his mind yesterday, as Sleepy Tripp and I Can Doosit trialled at Alexandra Park.
Sleepy Tripp looked sharp winning the main trial, beating among others last season's champion filly De Lovely, who was being seen out in public for the first time this season.
"He was good and will race here [Alexandra Park] next Friday as his lead up to the Victoria Cup the following week," said Purdon.
I Can Doosit will follow the same path, racing next Friday before heading to Victoria for a one-race raid the following Friday.
by Michael GUERIN (Courtesy of the NEW ZEALAND HERALD)
It was good to see an update on the Standardbred Canada website yesterday. I am hoping that he can regain his old form after the operation and maybe have another crack at NA later on. All the best to his new connections.
Auckland Reactor trialled at mid Caterbury today over 2400m recording a m.r of 2.03.9 last half in 55.8 last quarter in 27sec it was his first public apperance since returning from the u.s
Also for interest sake a 2yr old colt Rockin Roll Lad trialled and went 2.01.7 last half in 57.5 and last quarter in 26.2 he is by Artplace out of a three quarter sister to Rocknroll Hanover in Rye Hanover.