Racing: Hill brings powerful team to Auckland

North Canterbury horseman Brendon Hill has decided to campaign his in-form team in Auckland over the next few weeks.

He sent Harley Earl north last Friday and other members of the stable, Baileys Dream, Ultimate Player and Marissima are booked to travel this Friday.

"We decided with the way the team was going and the money on offer we would take the opportunity," Hill said.

The decision was also influenced by the availability of stable driver Ricky May.

Ultimate Player and Marissima both won at Addington last Friday. Harley Earl is also a last-start winner on the course.

Baileys Dream ran third to Sleepy Tripp and Bettor's Strike in the Easter Cup, after starting from 15m. He had won at Addington a week earlier, after finishing third to stablemate Monkey King and Tintin In America in the Auckland Cup last month.

He won a workout at Rangiora on Saturday in 3:22.7 for 2600m, the last 800m in 56.7.

May will be in Auckland on Friday night to drive Harley Earl and Stylish Monarch, last-start winner of the NZ Trotting Championship at Addington.

Stylish Monarch, who is off 30m in the Tegel Foods Discretionary Handicap Trot, gave Levels trainer Murray Tapper his first group one win. He travelled to Auckland last week in the care of junior driver Samantha Ottley. The Invercargill-trained Vi Et Animo is a rival for Harley Earl in the Swiss Deli Discretionary Handicap Pace. Vi Et Animo won the Invercargill Cup last month for the stable of Gil and Brent Shirley.

He is based at Hamilton with Todd Mitchell, who has the drive on Friday.

"We will just have to see how he handles the track on Friday. There is the Taylor Mile, Messenger and Harness Jewels for him on the circuit," Brent Shirley said.

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Courage To Rule could challenge fellow Kiwi pacer Smiling Shard for New South Wales Derby favouritism after drawing best in Friday night's classic at Menangle.

The South Auckland pacer will start from barrier two in the 2300m event, giving him a perfect opportunity to add the A$100,000 event to the Victoria Derby he won in February.

Courage To Rule and Smiling Shard both won their heats on Monday, with Smiling Shard the more impressive.

However, Courage Under Fire has high gate speed and gets the chance to head for the front on Friday, from where he could control the race and turn it into a suitable test of stamina.

Smiling Shard has drawn wide at barrier six but still comes into the race well because Monday's other two heats winners, Renaissance Man and For A Reason have drawn even wider on the front line, from which all 10 runners will start.

For A Reason broke the track record Smiling Shard had set a few races earlier on Monday but did so after missing the frenetic early battle for the lead, whereas Smiling Shard worked hard and still won.

While driver Dexter Dunn may feel comfortable with Smiling Shard drawing barrier six he isn't quite so happy about his charge Bettor's Strike drawing barrier nine in the A$100,000 Len Smith Mile, one of the other features on a stunning night of racing.

Drawn right alongside Bettor's Strike is last season's Interdominion champion Mr Feelgood, meaning the pair will have to give big starts to Smoken Up (barrier six) and Western Cam (four).

Meanwhile, the New Zealand TAB are set to release their opening markets for the 3 and 4-year-old divisions of the Harness Jewels today.

The Jewels will be held at Cambridge on June 5 and have a far more open look to most divisions this year that in their previous three runnings.

That should see few really short-priced favourites in today's opening markets.

The other trick for punters is that any horse is vulnerable at Cambridge until the draws are made, with second-line draws almost impossible to overcome over a mile on the Waikato track.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: MICK GUERIN