Racing: Devil Dodger can leave them standing

Devil Dodger meets stablemate Courage To Rule and arch-rival Sir Lincoln in tonight's feature. Photo / Thinkstock

If you need any convincing to back Devil Dodger in tonight's $20,000 Winter Cup at Alexandra Park just watch a video of his win two starts ago.

But not the last 200m, the first 200.

Because the speed Devil Dodger showed away from the standing start on his way to that victory last month could be his most important weapon in tonight's 2700m event, named in honour of Alexandra Park's late racecaller Reg Clapp.

Devil Dodger meets stablemate Courage To Rule and arch-rival Sir Lincoln in tonight's feature and with all three group one winners there is little between them.

They will all start off the 30m mark but Devil Dodger has shown great standing start manners in his few attempts from behind the tapes and if he repeats his flyer of two starts ago he should settle in front of the other two favourites.

With so little between them all on natural ability, that could be enough to give Devil Dodger the winning break.

He was a superb second to Sir Lincoln when having the harder run over the last lap last Friday night but that was over 2200m and Devil Dodger will probably appreciate the step up to 2700m more than his conqueror.

So too will Courage To Rule, who as a Derby winner is a natural stayer and appears to finally be back to his best after a slow autumn.

He will be driven by Tony Herlihy, who has a huge shot at a big-race double tonight as he trains and drives hot favourite Symphony In Motion in the $50,000 Sales Series Pace.

The race is restricted to two-year-olds bred to Northern Hemisphere time and was the one which launched Carabella to stardom last season.

But this year it appears to have attracted nothing of her class and after his effortless prelude win last Friday it is hard to go past Symphony In Motion.

"The way he won last week he has to be hard to beat again," said Herlihy.

"He led easily then and I'd like to be in front again because I think he is a bit better at this stage than most of his rivals. I like him, he is a nice horse who wants to be out there."

Tonight's meeting is the final premier harness racing fixture of the season and again boasts a strong South Island presence.

It will also be the last time champion young reinsman Dexter Dunn drives at Alexandra Park for some time. He heads to the United States to further his career on Monday.