Racing: Draw does not disturb Hill

Dalton Bromac will probably have to give most rivals a start in the Taylor Mile tomorrow night. Photo / Getty Images

The bookies may have abandoned Dalton Bromac heading into the $100,000 Taylor Mile but trainer Brendon Hill is unfazed.

He hopes what looks a terrible draw can prove the winning of the group one sprint at Alexandra Park tomorrow night.

Rated one of New Zealand's most exciting pacers, Dalton Bromac usually starts long odds-on in his races, but opened $5.50 for the star-studded 1700m thriller after drawing barrier eight.

That, coupled with the fact that he meets one of the hottest age-group fields assembled at Alexandra Park in recent years, has the TAB bookies willing to take on Dalton Bromac, even though last time he ventured north he was scarily good.

Dalton Bromac settled last in his only Alexandra Park start this season yet bolted in and shattered the national 2200m record.

He has done nothing wrong since but with sprint racing at Alexandra Park notoriously difficult for horses who get back in the field, he could even start longer than his fixed odds quote.

Hill says what looks bad may actually be good. "I think he might get out to $6 or $7 on the tote but that won't mean a thing to him.

"He is ready to go and I couldn't be happier with the horse so I can not go letting the draw worry me, that is Ricky's [May] job.

"Sure, he will have to probably settle back at the start but with a field like this they could go really hard and being out of the early rush might be a good thing.

"I'd like him to drive positively after that and if that means he is parked at the bell, then so be it.

"He is here to win, not worry about the Messenger next week. He has been set for both these races, not just the one he draws well in."

The depth of the Taylor Mile is amazing, with every horse in the race having won at group level and six of the 11 at the highest level.

The TAB opened Sky Major, last-start winner of the Chariots of Fire at Menangle, the $4 equal favourite but he became sick soon after that March 1 victory and has had only two trials in the past six weeks.

Border Control shares that $4 quote in a race that looks certain to come down to luck in the running, with few horses good enough to work overly hard and win at this level.

The bookies didn't have to think quite so hard for tomorrow night's other group races, with Stent opening $1.80 to win the Anzac Cup in a strong trot field, which has five Harness Jewels winners drawn on the front line alone.

Unbeaten filly Dream About Me opened $1.80 but was soon backed in the $120,000 Woodlands Caduceus Club Classic, even from the outside of the front line.

Still, her task in overcoming largely inexperienced rivals from that draw is a vastly different proposition than Dalton Bromac faces from the same draw in the Mile.

NZ Trotting Derby winner Speeding Spur was hovering around the $2 mark last night for the Sires' Stakes Championship, with the advantage of being drawn inside Prince Fearless, Habibti Ivy and Monbet, the three who chased him home in the Derby at Addington.

Meanwhile, Dexter Dunn will return to Australia after tomorrow night's meeting to partner Kiwi-owned filly Delightful Lana in Saturday night's A$150,000 Victoria Oaks.

Formerly trained by Cran Dalgety, Delightful Lana won her heat last week in the care of Peter Walsh and is likely to return to New Zealand after the classic.