Highview Tommy will also start from the inside barrier on the track. Photo / Alan Gibson
Champion trainer Mark Purdon is set to dominate the Harness Jewels after a freakish run of luck in the barrier draws.
Purdon's superstar stable has a remarkable five horses drawn the coveted barrier one in the nine races totalling $1.5 million at Cambridge next Saturday.
From the difficult mobile mile
start point at Cambridge, that series of draws is as good as money in the bank.
Purdon will have 17 representatives in the Jewels, which brings together the highest stake earning age group pacers and trotters in New Zealand.
Russley Rascal and Major Mark were pre-draw favourites but will start odds-on after drawing the ace in their divisions.
Highview Tommy will also start from the inside barrier on the track where he won the two-year-old division two years ago.
Juvenile pacing filly Collectable and three-year-old trotter Emma Hamilton have also come up with the magic marble.
Purdon has also fared well in the draws for the red hot three-year-old pacing fillies races, with Lancome at barrier two and Secret Potion at four, although New Zealand Oaks winner De Lovely will start a warm favourite after drawing the ace.
His biggest losers in the draw were four-year-old trot favourite I Can Doosit, who will start from two on the second line and Kotare Mach, who has drawn the outside of the front in the three-year-old male pace.
The race most affected by the draws has been the four-year-old mare's pace, in which all four favourites have drawn awkwardly.
Thursday's brave Cambridge winner Beaudiene Bad Babe has drawn the second line, as have Crystal Star and Imagine Me.
Telemecanique will start from the outside of the front line.
Miami H will start favourite in the three-year-old trot after drawing barrier three while star filly Kahdon has drawn the second line.
Other pre-draw favourites facing huge assignments are Bettor Cover Lover, who has drawn the outside of the second line in the juvenile filly pace and Messenger winner Tintin In America, who faces a potential nightmare from the inside of the second line.
The TAB fixed odds markets for the Jewels will be released tomorrow afternoon.
