Racing: Scandalman faces tough task to beat New Zealand's best

Scandalman. Photo / Supplied

Australian pacer Scandalman has a hard act to follow when he arrives in Auckland to start his Woodlands Derby campaign on Friday night.

The New South Wales pacer was a dominant winner of the Victoria Derby on February 4, downing Kiwi star Ideal Scott, so clearly has the ability to be a major player in the Alexandra Park Derby series, which has two preludes on Friday.

Scandalman follows in the hoof prints of fellow Aussie 3-year-olds Sushi Sushi, who won last year's Woodlands Derby, and Lombo Pocket Watch, who beat all but Changeover in the Derby five years ago.

But as good as Scandalman is he faces a hot local crop, with even his prelude on Friday looking daunting.

Scandalman, who was bred and is still owned in Canterbury, clashes with early Derby favourite Smolda and two Sires' Stakes winners in Texican and Lets Elope.

The second prelude is almost as strong, seeing Ideal Scott up against last season's juvenile of the year in Fly Like An Eagle.

Smolda has been well backed to win the Derby since downing stablemate Fly Like An Eagle at the workouts on Saturday.

The Derby preludes highlight a night on which dual Interdominion Trotting champ I Can Doosit returns to Alexandra Park, taking on arch-rivals Sovereignty, Vulcan and Raydon in a superb feature trot.

The open-class pacing stars Terror To Love, Franco Emirate, Choise Achiever and Sir Lincoln continue their preparations for Friday week's Auckland Trotting Cup in the NZ Herald Free-For-All.

And the group one event sees Twist And Twirl set to start favourite in the $125,000 Pascoes Northern Oaks, even though she cost punters plenty last start and meets an even line-up.

The meeting ends just before 11pm, giving hardened harness racing fans more than three hours to fill before the Interdominion Final coming in from Perth at 2.10am on Saturday.

As if that won't be a testing enough start to Auckland Cup week as a lead-in to Derby Day at Ellerslie on Saturday, there will be plenty of Kiwi interest at Menangle on Saturday night.

Wonderful New Zealand mare Bettor Cover Lover will start a warm favourite in the A$200,000 Ladyship Mile after drawing barrier two.

She has not raced in Australia since winning last season's Victoria Oaks, after which she nearly died in a transportation accident.

She meets Australia's best mares but her arch-rival Carabella is absent because of a season-ending injury.

Earlier at the Menangle meeting, Canterbury filly Elusive Chick will have plenty of support in the NSW Oaks.

The Tim Butt-trained filly was a huge second at her Australian debut last Friday after tangling at the start and losing 30m.