Interest Increasing In Auckland Reactor

After dominating the year-end harness racing awards in New Zealand, Trot Insider caught up with part owner Dr. Mike Wilson, who commented on recent developments regarding Auckland Reactor's highly anticipated North Americ

an campaign.

Wilson told Trot Insider that the five-year-old son of Mach Three-Atomic Lass is currently training with Mark Purdon for the start of the 2009/10 season in New Zealand.

“He’s in training again now and he will race there until the end of November. His main objective is the New Zealand Cup [on November 10]."

Auckland Reactor is predominantly owned by a group of Canadians, including Wilson, Peter Heffering, Tom Kyron, Bill Loyens, Doug Millard, Irv Storfer, and Fred Brayford.

“He’s going to come to North America in December to prepare for the 2010 aged horse races. The trainer hasn’t been definitely decided upon, but at the moment the favourite is Ross Croghan.”

Wilson said Auckland Reactor will first step onto North American soil in Florida before venturing up to New Jersey, and caretaker Jeremy Young is expected to be accompanying the bay in his journey. Wilson also revealed that a number of drivers including Ron Pierce and Brian Sears have expressed an interest in driving New Zealand’s pride and joy.

Although some of North America’s top aged pacers including Mister Big and Shadow Play will be retiring at the end of the year, Wilson says he still expects that Auckland Reactor will face some tough competition.

“They seem to be good every year. I’m sure there will be some good new ones,” says the resident of Rockwood, Ont. “It is really hard to compare racing there with here. A lot of the horses that come up here gain five or six seconds. They might go down to [1]:49 or something like that, but he’s going to have to go down at least a second more than that - mind you he’s been going at least a second faster than most of the New Zealand horses that have come here. So its really hard to compare and we just won’t know until he gets here.”

Auckland Reactor’s fastest mile rating of 1:53.2, taken at the beginning of January in the $75,000 Gr II Sky City Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge Raceway, equalled an 11-year-old national mobile record held by Scuse Me.

According to Wilson, fans down under, however, are certain Auckland Reactor will trounce his Northern Hemisphere rivals with ease.

“New Zealand is supremely confident that he’s going to beat everybody. They are totally confident that he’s the best horse in the world.”