Racing: Aussie bully boys may hold whip hand

Mr Feelgood epitomises the toughness of the Australian invaders for the Interdominion series. Photo / Gary Wild

How could it come to this?

The eve of a home-grown, albeit transplanted, Interdominion series, and the only horses favoured in either market are Australians.

Even after the series was moved to Alexandra Park, where Australian victories used to be rare, Aussie pacers fill the four top spots in the market for the pacing series and the two top in the trotting series.

Cardigan Bay, who is buried at Alexandra Park, may well be rolling over in his grave come April 8.

Adding insult to injury, three of the six most favoured Australians are New Zealand-bred, suggesting the Aussie racing and training style is, this year at least, getting better results with our horses than ours is.

Themightyquinn, Smoken Up and two-time Interdominion trotting winner Sundon's Gift all left here with varying degrees of talent but have become millionaires in Australia.

And with the exception of Themightyquinn, our new Australian conquerors seem to all use the same weapon - they out-tough the Kiwis.

Such patches of domination often go in cycles and if Christian Cullen or Elsu were walking out on to Alexandra Park tomorrow the markets would look greatly different.

Same for Chokin, Master Musician or even a fully fit, healthy and mentally balanced Auckland Reactor, if such an animal existed.

But at the moment the cycle of New Zealand open-class pacing talent is on a down.

We have speedsters who shine brightly then burn out. We have true greats like Monkey King who may be at the end of great careers. But, mainly, we have plenty of horses who simply can't pace 3:16 for 2700m mobile, while the Aussies have at least four who can.

While our breed is generally superior and we still regularly dominate in the age-group races, it seems on the Grand Circuit the harder the racing, the more the Aussies like it. And our ponies don't.

Champion trainer Barry Purdon has tasted more big race success in Australia than almost any New Zealand trainer and he believes the Australian racing style is producing tougher horses, ideal for the rigours of an Interdominion.

"I think the way they race them over there makes them tougher.

"Sure, it goes in cycles but in Australia they are not scared to jump on a plane and head to Perth or put them on a float for 10 hours to go somewhere.

"And when they do race they are not scared to sit parked, like Mr Feelgood in the Auckland Cup.

"I think, eventually, that wears off on the horses and they get used to the hard work and the best ones seem to thrive on it."

Purdon says the extended 2- and 3-year-old seasons are not helping our open-class ranks.

"We start earlier than they do in Australia but race too far into the season. I am a great believer in giving horses a decent spell but it is getting harder and harder to do that.

"I love the fact we have the Harness Jewels but it is too late in the season and then you even have some horses go to the Breeders Crown in Australia.

"So many of them burn out. We used to have an entourage of open-class horses, now we struggle to fill the best races. It is manageable but to do that you have to be brave and let your horse miss some big races."

Purdon has Pembrook Benny as his leading chance in the pacing series and drawn barrier one tomorrow night he should at least place and be guaranteed a spot in the $800,000 final on April 8.

"I was thrilled with his run in the Auckland Cup because he worked early and was a clear third," said Purdon. "And I'd love to think he could win this series. But if he ended up parked in the final outside a horse like Mr Feelgood or Smoken Up I think I'd close my eyes and pretend it wasn't happening."

A lot can change in 15 days and a Kiwi hero may yet emerge, but he is going to need to be tough, fast, have gate speed and be ready for three hard races in a fortnight.

Who does that sound most like to you - Smiling Shard, Monkey King and Pembrook Benny or Smoken Up, Blacks A Fake, Mr Feelgood and Themightyquinn?