Racing: Auckland Reactor should be an anchor tonight

Auckland Reactor. Photo / Dean Purcell

For a horse who has spent his entire career in the spotlight, Auckland Reactor could hardly have found a less pressured environment in which to return to racing than Ballarat tonight.

New Zealand's $1.5 million earner will be having his first Australian start in 26 months in the A$20,000 Pure Steel, against what could only be described as the third tier of Australian open class pacing.

Many of the bone fide pacing superstars like Smoken Up, Sushi Sushi and Gold Ace are in tonight's A$125,000 Ballarat Cup while at least another half dozen of Australia's elite, headed by I'm Themightyquinn and Mr Feelgood, are in Perth preparing for the Interdominions.

Add to that local stars like Terror To Love, Carabella and Bettor Cover Lover staying home and Auckland Reactor meets a field nowhere near what he is used to racing.

And that is exactly how trainer-driver Mark Purdon likes it.

Auckland Reactor is on trial for next week's A$425,000 Hunter Cup, which he could go close to starting favourite in if he wins tonight.

Considering he has won $1.2 million more than any of his rivals and trialled superbly at Shepparton last week, the only obstacle to a first-up victory would appear to be his standing start manners, which used to be the bane of his career.

Again Purdon has taken the relaxed approach.

"I actually haven't given him any standing start practice since he has been here," he admits.

"He has handled them a lot better this season back home than he had in the past and while he has been getting it right I wanted to not make it a big deal.

"He starts off the outside of the second line and I think that will help, so I'd expect him to go away all right."

That being the case Auckland Reactor should be the anchor for punters tonight as well as earn his way into the Hunter Cup.

"At this stage the Hunter is the target unless something goes wrong on Saturday, which I am not expecting to happen."

Regardless of how Auckland Reactor performs Purdon won't have much time to dwell on it as he will partner red hot Interdominion favourite I Can Doosit in the last heat of that series less than 30 minutes later.

I Can Doosit is rated a $1.30 chance to win his heat but Purdon admits the race could be trickier than punters expect.

"We have two speed horses in Sovereignty and I Didn't Do It drawn inside us so I won't be rushing to the front like we did last week.

"It could even be that we have to sit parked the last lap to win, which wouldn't be easy, particularly if Sovereignty leads. So it will be a good challenge for us before the final."

Comeback

* Auckland Reactor returns to racing at Ballarat tonight.

* The enigmatic Kiwi pacer hasn't raced since winning the Flying Stake at Ashburton in October.

* He dodges the elite pacers in the Ballarat Cup by contesting a standing start support race.

* Tonight's meeting hosts the last ever Interdominion trotting heats.