KEY POINTS:
A private standing start session a few weeks ago has trainer Mark Purdon feeling a lot more confident Auckland Reactor will remain unbeaten at Cambridge tonight.
The wonder pacer is facing an intriguing test in the $60,000 Futurity, starting off a 20m handicap against some high-class 4-year-olds.
If
this race was run 100 times Auckland Reactor would probably win 99 of those, with only a combination of a poor beginning, bad luck and a crazy tempo at the head of the field enough to stop him.
That shouldn't happen and he should once again be able to woo the Cambridge crowds with a walk of honour down the home straight after victory.
But if Auckland Reactor has shown any weakness in his armour so far - and there has only been one - it is his standing start manners.
He has regularly missed away at the trials and has been slow in both his standing start races this season.
On a track like Cambridge, where making ground can be hard, that should be enough to deter any punters putting $100,000 on him like one did last Friday night.
Especially considering the TAB opened him a farcically short $1.04 favourite in a race probably twice as hard as the one he effortlessly won last Friday.
But Purdon says he feels relaxed about Auckland Reactor's standing starts manners heading into tonight's 2700m feature.
"I must admit I don't give him a lot of practice standing starts and often I think that is the best way," said Purdon.
"But I gave him a couple a few weeks ago with Pembrook Benny [a rival tonight] and he actually handled them the best he ever has.
"I think he could eventually be a good standing start horse so I am not worrying about it this week."
The other potential hoodoo hanging over Auckland Reactor's head is his unbeaten record. Pressure is mounting as he nears Courage Under Fire's New Zealand mark of 24 straight wins.
With most of his remaining races this season being mobiles, tonight could be one of the few races left this season when luck could get between him and the record.
But Purdon says while fans are fascinated by the record, Auckland Reactor's owners are very realistic.
"They haven't hardly mentioned it at all," he explains. "A lot of them have owned a lot of good horses before but none of them have ever had a horse win 16 or 17 before.
"So they are just thrilled with what has happened so far.
"At no time have any of them put any pressure on to chase any records or protect his unbeaten run. They have been great."
While there are several pacers in tonight's race who could push Auckland Reactor close under the right circumstances, none of them are in his class so they would need a lot to go right for them and a lot to go wrong for him.
And while the standing start could play a role, the distance of the race could be an even bigger factor.
Because while Auckland Reactor has been superb in sprint racing, his dominance is even more pronounced in staying races. If he turns tonight's 2700m into a war not many of his rivals are likely to enjoy the battle.
CHASING 18
* Champion pacer Auckland Reactor is looking for his 18th straight win tonight.
* He faces a 20m handicap and some smart pacers in the $60,000 feature at Cambridge.
* Trainer Mark Purdon thinks the champ's standing start manners could be improving.
* Remarkably, the TAB opened him at just $1.04 in fixed odds betting.
