Racing: Small hopes to change Harold Park luck

South Auckland trainer Geoff Small is hoping his Harold Park curse doesn't blunt his dual Interdominion assault tonight.

Small has series second favourite Changeover and enigmatic Our Awesome Armbro in tonight's heats and both have draws which suggest they can win or, at worst, run a place.

While Small is adamant they are in the shape to perform well, he has learnt from experience never to be confident when taking horses to Harold Park.

"My horses just don't seem to go any good there," admits Small.

"I have won a Derby and a Chariots of Fire there with Elsu but that was because he was so good at that stage he could get away with it," said Small.

"But since then my horses haven't got warm here and I don't know why."

That includes Elsu and Changeover, who both suffered the most spectacular defeats of their careers in Miracle Miles at Harold Park, while others, like All Tiger and Winforu, have gone to Harold Park and raced miles below their best.

While he doesn't know why, Small is trying to reduce his risks tonight with gear adjustments to both Changeover, who starts in the first heat and Our Awesome Armbro who contests the second.

"I have pulled Changeover's hopples up a couple of notches and hopefully that will help him handle the track better," said Small on Wednesday.

"I worked him that way today and he was pretty good on a tight track."

Changeover has returned to something just below his best in the past two months after looking a spent force pre-Christmas.

"He feels good and looks good so we have our chance in the series.

"He has a wide draw and I think David [Butcher] will drive him how he feels early."

Our Awesome Armbro has a good barrier draw in his heat and will wear hopples shorteners in an effort to keep him handy in a race which suits his stamina limitations.

"He is working well but how he might handle that first bend at Harold Park at full speed is another matter.

"It looks a race where Blacks A Fake will want to lead or trail and if that happens you will need to be close to the speed to get decent points."

Of the other Kiwis in the series, Mr Feelgood starts from a second-line draw in the first heat and will need a hot pace to have a winning chance, with Karloo Mick looking a top each-way chance there.

Pembrook Benny has a widish draw in the second heat, one of the strongest of the night, and will do well to finish in the first three.

Monkey King looks set to dominate the third heat, while Bondy looks the one to beat in the last leg, where he clashes with Baileys Dream.

Bondy's trainer-driver David Butt is thrilled with barrier two and believes the veteran pacer, best known for his standing-start manners, still retains the gate speed to lead from behind the mobile.

With that heat not being strong he gets his chance to make it three unbeaten starts in his Australian campaign.