Racing: Doubts over trotter's form

Pompallier (right) will not have to chase Delft again tonight. Picture / Martin Sykes

Richard Brosnan has a word of warning for punters who expect Pompallier to bounce back to his best at Alexandra Park tonight.

The outstanding trotter has taken not only punters but his connections on a rollercoaster ride since winning the $100,000 Dominion Handicap at Addington in November and it has been a ride with more downs than ups.

And his trainer says he cannot confidently predict an upswing in tonight's $40,000 First Sovereign City Of Sails Trot.

The 2700m mobile would appear perfect for Pompallier as not only does he have gate speed but he gets a rare chance to race the top sort of opponents off level marks when just seven days ago he had to give some of them a 20m start.

Quite simply, on his best form he would win. And that is where the problem lies.

"I don't think he is at his best," admits Brosnan.

"I am sure he is not as good as he was when he won the Dominion but I am not sure how close he is."

Pompallier's form tapered off toward the end of a hard holiday campaign and he then contracted a slight virus during the Interdominions in Melbourne last month.

He struggled through that series and was checked out of the race in his Alexandra Park comeback last week.

"I was hoping to get a line on him last week but just when he was coming into the race we locked wheels and that was that.

"Under these conditions he might still be a chance of winning below his best but that is pretty hard to do in this grade."

At least Brosnan won't have to make the mid-race decisions on how to get Pompallier back to the winner's circle as he has been replaced as driver by Colin De Filippi.

De Filippi was on Pompallier when he won the Dominion and has only driven the leggy trotter four times for two wins, a second and a luckless effort when he galloped early.

Another advantage Pompallier does have tonight is that the race doesn't contain New Zealand's two other star trotters, Delft and Allegro Agitato, or budding heroine Our Sunny Whiz.

But he still comes up against Rowe Cup winner Martina H, speedster Iwi Alex and the rampant Gold.

The latter is in the best form of his career and murdered many of tonight's opponents in last Friday's corresponding race.

He is best suited when able to follow a solid speed and come with one dazzling sprint so tonight's second line barrier draw may not disadvantage him.

The hardest to beat though must be Martina H, who is nearing retirement because she is in foal to champion sire Muscles Yankee.

Like Pompallier, she rarely gets to take on this sort of opposition under free-for-all conditions and she has always been a great starter from behind the mobile.

She started off a 20m handicap last week and will get better shots as a grand finale to her wonderful career.

An interesting runner is Cracker Nova, who has had just one start back this campaign but will be aided by drawing the ace as she is another fast beginner.

Add in last season's Interdominion champion Play On, Una Bromac and Rosscoe, who finally trotted for a whole race last Friday, and you have a race which succinctly sums up the open class trotting scene this season - confusing.