Anything Goes (NZ) Heads Stellar Sales Series Aged Classic Field

Anything Goes (NZ) (American Ideal) is primed to go one better in the $50,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Sales Series Aged Classic (2400m) at Kaikoura on Monday.

The All Stars pacers is set to start the hot favourite for the lucrative feature on a huge day of harness racing at Kaikoura.

Anything Goes will take top billing into the NZB Standardbred Sales Series Aged Classic after producing excellent recent form against top-class horses.

But Nathan Purdon, who trains the pacer with his father Mark, is expecting even bigger things from Anything Goes on Monday.

“He has gone well recently but we thought he could have gone a little bit better,” Purdon said.

“So, we gave him a freshen-up with a few days off and since then we have been really pleased with him.”

Anything Goes has prepared for Monday’s feature event with a trial at Rangiora this week.

The pacer pleased his trainers and showed them he is right on track for his second Listed NZB Standardbred Sales Series Aged Classic tilt.

“We gave him a quiet trial during the week and we were pleased with his run,” Purdon said.

“On that trial and his work, he does seem very well within himself and we would expect him to run a nice race.”

Anything Goes ran a very meritorious second in the Listed NZB Standardbred Sales Series Aged Classic last year.

After working hard to maintain the lead, the pacer was run down late in a fighting second to Warloch (NZ) (Well Said).

Anything Goes was purchased for $38,000 from the Studholme Bloodstock draft at the 2019 National Yearling Sale at Christchurch by his former trainer Steve Dolan.

Trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn have a big hand in Monday’s NZB Standardbred sponsored feature with their two runners, Heisenberg (NZ) (Art Major) and Bach (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

Former North Island pacer Hey Bartender (NZ) (Sweet Lou) looks a key player in the event, as does Jimmy James Maguire (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

Lester (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight), Cya Art (NZ) (Art Major) and Johnny Mac (NZ) (Mach Three) also add depth to an intriguing feature event.