Racing: Champion to start with a bang

The Interdominions are still three days away but they have already started well for champion pacer Elsu.

The $2.50 favourite for the pacing section of the $1.7 million series looks set for a first-round victory after drawing one in the weakest of Friday night's opening round heats.

The dual Auckland Cup champion not only has the best draw in the last heat of the night, but with few fast beginners drawn outside him, and no noted attackers in the race, he should simply lead and win.

News of the draw was greeted with a huge grin by trainer Geoff Small, whose biggest concern heading into the series was Elsu having hard runs in the heats.

"We all know a lot can happen in racing but on paper it looks a good heat for us to kick off in," said Small.

Small couldn't be happier with Elsu's training since his awesome win in the Hunter Cup in Melbourne on February 12.

The five-year-old worked over 2400m with a galloping pacemaker on Small's Patumahoe track yesterday, pacing a quick 3:7, his last 800m in 57 seconds.

"It had rained before the workout so it was good work, probably even a few seconds quicker than I wanted.

"He had a little blow afterwards and we have no concerns going into Friday night."

Elsu's draw was not the only good news for Small yesterday, with his second-stringer Winforu also drawing perfectly in the second pacing heat.

Last Friday's winner of the Cambridge Classic, Winforu will start from barrier two against Australian stars Te Kanarama (three) and Sokyola (five) and should be able to find the rail and then trail one of the guns, giving him a tow into a major point-scoring placing.

The series looks certain to kick off with a bang, with the opening pacing heat having drawn a strong, competitive field.

Not only does it contain series second favourite Just An Excuse (barrier 12) but also leading Australian hope Flashing Red (four) and a trio of the fastest beginners in the series - Linford Christie, Sand Pebbles and Ohoka Ace.

That could make for some sizzling sectionals before the big boys wade in.

The trotting heats will give punters and bookies plenty to chew over, with many of the favourites drawn awkwardly.

The exception is Lyell Creek, who has drawn barrier one in the first trotting heat.

While barrier one has not suited Lyell Creek in the past, the front line doesn't contain too many flyers so he should at least stay handy in a heat that also contains Sumthingaboutmaori, Allegro Agitato, Gold N Gold, Pompallier and Glenbogle.

That leaves trotting's new kid on the block, Delft, to take on dual Interdom winner Take A Moment in the second heat, in which they will start alongside each other.

Delft pleased trainer Michelle Wallis in a searching workout on Friday and is expected to strip at peak fitness even though he has not raced for a month.

He will need to though as that heat contains three trotters - Sammy Do Good, Paris Metro and Lost In The Park - who have won group one races this season.

Four of the heats will double as legs of the guaranteed $1 million Pick6, for which Elsu will now be everybody's anchor.

While the depth of quality for the series has ATC officials and punters buzzing, it has TAB bookie Paul Lally more than a little worried.

Lally and his team will open markets on all five Interdominion heats tomorrow morning as well as on the five Alexandra Park support races on Friday morning.

"The Elsu heat doesn't look like it will require much imagination from us," he said, "but some of the others are a nightmare trying to work out how good the Australians horses are compared with ours.

"It is going to be a real battle,"said Lally.

Opening night

* The first five heats of the Interdominions will be held at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
* Pacing favourite Elsu has drawn perfectly in the last heat of the night.
* Fellow Kiwi stars Just An Excuse and Mister D G have not fared so well.
* The meeting will have a guaranteed $1 million Pick6.