Auckland Reactor faces a huge task after copping the worst draw in his much-awaited comeback race at Ashburton on Saturday.
The one-time, pin-up boy of harness racing will be having his first New Zealand start in 15 months in a $15,000 mile at Ashburton.
Not only has he drawn barrier
seven, he has Monkey King, Franco Jamar and Highview Tommy drawn inside him.
That leaves trainer-driver Mark Purdon facing an interesting question over whether to liberate Auckland Reactor at the start and surrender to his natural racing style, or try to settle him looking at the longer challenges ahead like the Auckland Cup and Interdominions.
Auckland Reactor has won both his recent workouts in Canterbury but with Saturday's race possibly going to be a 1:52 mile, he faces a massive ask to win.
Field: Rangataua Ray (1), Lightning Raider (2), Raglan (3), Monkey King (4), Highview Tommy (5), Franco Jamar (6), Auckland Reactor (7) fr.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's glamour mare De Lovely has virtually being handed Friday night's $80,000 Breeders Stakes at Addington.
De Lovely has drawn barrier two in the group one event and as if that wasn't enough to guarantee her hot favouritism, arch-rival Beaudiene Bad Babe will miss the race.
Beaudiene Bad Babe beat De Lovely two starts ago but has been suffering from tying up problems for the last week.
"It is nothing serious but she needs time to get over them and I haven't hoppled her for 10 days," said trainer Murray Brown.
"So we will miss this race and then aim to have her ready for the Interdominions.
"There is a race at Addington 10 days before the Interdoms start and that can be her lead-up."
There was no major withdrawals when the latest round of Interdominion payments were made and the carnival has been boosted further by the arrival of Swedish trotting mare Annicka.
She travelled well and will spend the next two weeks in quarantine but could even race in New Zealand before the series starts on March 25.
I'm Themightyquinn is the favourite for the pacing series after the TAB opened its markets yesterday, with Sundon's Gift favourite for the trotting series.
