Adam Hamilton: Tough task for Oz contingent

The racing gods have frowned down upon the Aussie raiders with a busload of bad barrier draws for tonight's second round of Interdominion heats.

By tomorrow, more than half of the 17 remaining Aussie pacers and trotters in the series will be relegated to just consolation material.

But the reality is our big guns, with the lone exception of the Alexandra Park hater Te Kanarama, did enough on night one and are good enough to overcome bad barriers tonight to stay in contention for the finals on Friday week.

After Sokyola's lone hand gave the Australians just one win from five heats last Friday, it's actually hard to see us winning any of the five qualifiers tonight.

As daring and bizarre as it sounds, our best winning chance looks to be the erratic but talented former Kiwi trotter Gold N Gold.

Driver Ken Barron said the 9- year-old was "going to finish third or fourth" before getting his head on the side and galloping his way out of the race on the home turn last Friday night.

Trainer Michael Marais has swapped sides with the gelding's lugging pole and Barron will go out in search of the lead from gate five against series favourite Allegro Agitato tonight. He's worth a ticket at $11 on fixed odds.

Hexus is blessed with plenty of gate speed and, if he can hold the leaders back in tonight's first pacing heat, he will be right in the finish. Ohoka Ace is a place hope in the same race.

It's hard to make a case for Stirling Kiwi in race five, while Lost In The Park and Sumthingaboutmaori are not suited by 1700m and back row draws.

Sokyola is very vulnerable from inside the back row in race seven, where Mont Denver Gold's new-found gate speed gives him at least a place hope.

Smooth Satin, drawn better in gate four, and Flashing Red have place claims behind the dominant Elsu in the eighth event.

Uncle Petrika has the gate speed to be a place hope and Sammy Do Good's class means he cannot be overlooked in the same heat as Gold N Gold.

On a night when I won't be boasting about my heritage, I will be having something each-way on Gold N Gold and throwing Smooth Satin and Flashing Red in trifectas behind Elsu.

As far as the other heats go, Jagged Account and Young Rufus are worth a ticket at $7 or better from their kind draws to upset hot favourite Just An Excuse in race four.

It's hard to see the giant Delft getting rolled from gate two in the fifth race because his only serious, high-class rivals - Lyell Creek, Sumthingaboutmaori and Lost In The Park - have drawn poorly.

I'll be backing Sly Flyin and saving on London Legend in the seventh race. Both grabbed the eye on opening night and look like settling leader (London Legend) and trail (Sly Flyin) from their inside draws.

Elsu, courtesy of his second gun draw from as many heats, should be too good in race eight, although some early gate speed on his inside and outside could make the race more entertaining than many believe.

* Adam Hamilton is Australia's leading harness racing journalist and columnist to the Herald.