The Star: January 04, 2024

16 The Star Thursday January 4 2024
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Beach volleyball giants
to play in Christchurch
ONE OF the best beach
volleyball players of all
time is set to hit the sand in
Christchurch in February.
American Phil Dalhausser
will compete in the G.J. Gardner
Homes NZ Beach Tour which
takes place in Mt Maunganui,
Auckland, and Christchurch in
January and February.
The outdoor sand courts at the
Pioneer Sport and Recreation
Centre from February 9-11.
Known as ‘The Thin Beast,’
Dalhausser is one of the most
decorated players in history,
having won the American AVP
Tour four years in a row and
winning gold at the Beijing
Olympics in 2008.
Across his 20-year career
the 43-year-old has won 92
individual events, including two
World Championship medals in
2007 and 2009, and he has won
every major beach volleyball
event in the world.
Volleyball New Zealand high
performance beach coach Jason
Lochhead said having the pair in
the country is a massive coup for
the sport – on and off the sand.
“This is an amazing
opportunity for our New
Zealand community to not only
see and meet one of the best
players ever in our game, but a
chance for our players to play
against him as well,” Lochhead
said.
Dalhausser will play alongside
his regular partner, American
Taylor Crabb, who also boasts
an impressive record.
Crabb won gold at the world
tour event in Chetumal, Mexico,
in 2019 and was named AVP
MVP in 2018 and 2019.
TEAM: Phil Dalhausser (left) is set to hit the sand in
Christchurch in February.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES ​
Don’t Stop Dreaming
prioritises 4yo races
• By Michael Guerin
DON’T STOP Dreaming may
have sealed his open class
credentials at Alexandra Park
on Sunday night but that doesn’t
mean he will become a big-time
regular just yet.
Because co-trainer Nathan
Purdon says while Don’t Stop
Dreaming is good enough to
compete in a race like the open
class A$500,000 Hunter Cup in
a month’s time, they will target
four-year-old races while they
can.
Don’t Stop Dreaming arrived
in the big time on the last day of
his three-year-old career. Given
a beautiful run by Tony Herlihy,
he blew straight past open class
stars Old Town Road and Akuta
in the $60,000 Lincoln Farms
Franklin Cup.
It was a comprehensive victory
against two of the best pacers
and confirmed what all
harness racing fans have
known for months; Don’t Stop
Dreaming is a Group 1 cups
horse in waiting.
He now heads to Victoria with
stablemate Akuta and while they
could clash again in some open
class races this month, when the
biggest money is up for grabs,
Don’t Stop Dreaming will revert
to four-year-old company.
“He would fit into the Hunter
Cup on February 3 but that is the
same night as the four-year-old
race called The Bonanza,” said
Purdon.
“The Hunter Cup is worth
A$500,000 and the Bonanza
BIG FUTURE: Co-trainer Nathan Purdon says Don’t Stop Dreaming will focus on four-yearold
races for the time being, despite being a clear Group 1 cups horse in the making.
PHOTO: HRNZ
only A$75,000 but the difference
is the Bonanza is an automatic
qualifier for the Chariots Of Fire
(four-year-olds only) in Sydney a
month later.
“That is his big target – the
race we want to win – so he will
go to the Bonanza, hopefully
earn a spot in the Chariots Of
Fire and then head to Sydney to
contest that.”
That will mean Don’t Stop
Dreaming could ultimately take
on his arch rival, Merlin, who is
also being aimed at the Chariots
but trying to qualify via Sydney.
If either of the Kiwi four-yearolds
were to win the Chariots
they would almost certainly
get invited to the A$1million
Miracle Mile a week later.
Akuta was fairly and squarely
beaten on Sunday night but
Purdon says he will improve and
he was chasing the whole race
from his 30m back mark.
“It was always going to be
tough for him, but he will
improve with the race and be
better in Victoria.”
Old Town Road was a brave
second and looks to be returning
to his best now he is home in the
north.
Don’t Stop Dreaming’s win
will also only enhance his
chances of securing one of the
10 spots in the $1 million Race
by Grins at Cambridge on April
12 as he already looks well and
truly in the top five or six pacers
in the country in the slot race
that should attract at least two of
Australia’s best pacers.
– HRNZ
Homebush
Lad makes
Reefton
Cup history
WOODEND BEACH trainers
Greg and Nina Hope created
history when Homebush Lad
won the Rosco Contractors
Reefton Cup on Saturday for
the third consecutive time – the
first horse to achieve such a feat.
“He’s a really cool horse.
When he’s on song he’s a lovely
horse to drive. To get three
Reefton Cups is really cool,”
said driver Ben Hope.
Homebush Lad began well
from his 20m handicap. Settling
fifth on the markers
early in a strung out field, Hope
waited patiently for the right
time to move, which came at
1400m when he dashed around
to lead at the winning post with
a lap to go. From there Hope
and the 9-year-old controlled
the race and shot away at the
top of the straight to hold on
and win from Smoke On The
Water and Johnny Mac.
“He thrives on these kind
of circuits. By the time we get
to day three he’s usually at his
best. I was reasonably confident
with him. I thought I’d drive
him like the best horse in the
race and see if it pays off. And
it did!”
Homebush Lad, owned by
Adeline Smith, has now won 14
races and more than $200,000
in stakes.
– HRNZ