By MICHAEL GUERIN
Years of Derby domination by New Zealand pacers count for nothing - at least in the eyes of Sydney bookmakers.
While our best 3-year-olds have made Australia's's rich Derbys their own for the past five years, they have been abandoned in the early markets for Friday night's $100,000 New South Wales Derby.
After being burdened with second line draws the Kiwi quartet headed by Stars And Stripes are rated no better than third favourites for the classic.
Stars And Stripes is rated a 9-2 chance by Australian leading bookmaker Steven Single, with northern 3-year-olds Mike's Pal at 6-1, Hunka Hickling 8-1 and filly Dancingonmoonlight 25-1.
Stars And Stripes will start from three on the second line, with Hunka Hickling and Mike's Pal outside him. Dancingonmoonlight starts from inside the second line.
The tempting prices for the New Zealanders are in reaction to local star Smooth Satin drawing the ace, promoting him to 2-1 favouritism.
Seelster Sam, who campaigned in New Zealand with mixed success earlier this season, is the second favourite at 3-1.
"Smooth Satin's run for second to Mike's Pal last week was huge and he deserves to be favourite," said Single. "If he can hold the front then he is the one to beat."
But Single admits if Smooth Satin gets crossed the odds on the Kiwi horses could be a touch generous.
"Usually your 3-year-olds are too good for ours but this year this isn't a lot between them."
Stars And Stripes has not trialled since his controversial New Zealand Derby win on April 22 but trainer John Lischner says he is happy with the gelding, who is chasing his fourth Derby win.
"He is such a natural athlete he doesn't take too much work between races and he will be spot on for Friday night," said Lischner.
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Pukekohe trainer Lindsay Turner is adamant he still has the best pacing filly in New Zealand even after a string of defeats.
Turner trains much-hyped juvenile Tiger Turner, who looked an exceptional talent winning her first start at the Auckland Cup carnival.
Since then she has raced primarily against the best colts, even pushing juvenile champ Matai Mackenzie close at Alexandra Park in March.
After racing with little luck in the Welcome Stakes and Sires Stakes Open Final at Addington recently Tiger Turner was expected to appreciate the return to racing her own sex last Friday night.
But while she fought on well for fourth in a Sires Stakes Fillies heat it was clear she no longer had a mortgage on the fillies crown.
"I know she looked a little flat last week but I think she will be better on Friday," said Turner.
"She may not have sprinted as well as she can but that run will improve her. I still think she is the best of the fillies at this stage."
Turner sees no merit in the argument racing the colts may have taken the edge off Tiger Turner.
"She didn't have hard runs against them and I think last week it was more the runs the other fillies got. The winner English Elegance is a good filly but she got the run."
Tiger Turner faces a second line draw again in Friday night's $75,000 Air New Zealand Championship and is hoping fellow Pukekohe filly Cold Front, unbeaten in two starts, sets a hot pace from barrier three.
"If they got hard I know Tiger will keep going," he said.
Racing: Bookies cold shoulder Kiwi Derby hopefuls
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