Racing: Start all-important to Dream victory

A gear change for tonight's Taylor Mile tells you what trainer Steven Reid is thinking with Baileys Dream - the race will be won at the start.

Baileys Dream (barrier four) faces the daunting prospect of starting outside New Zealand's best pacer, Mainland Banner (two), in tonight's $100,000 sprint at Alexandra Park, a race with often provides New Zealand's fastest mile time of the season.

When Reid first saw the field on Monday he adopted the attitude most punters will, that Mainland Banner will race to the front and from that point on the race will be for second.

But the more he has looked at and talked to industry insiders about the race the keener he is to test just how quickly Mainland Banner gets off the gate by giving Baileys Dream the chance to cross her at the start.

Hence the gear change, with hopple shorteners being added to Baileys Dream.

They reduce the length of the hopples, with shorter strides meaning greater acceleration, just like an Olympic sprinter coming out of the blocks.

For a long-strider like Baileys Dream, who has already shown better than average gate speed, the change could mean the difference between being able to find the cherished pacemaking role or having to sit parked outside the great mare.

"I think we have to give him his chance at the start," explains Reid.

"At first glance I thought Mainland Banner would just win but I suppose we don't know much about her gate speed and there is also a chance Ricky May (driver) thinks she can sit parked and still win.

"So the best hope horses like Bailey and Dudinka's Cullen have of beating her is us going out early and trying to get in front of her."

Reid's confidence has been boosted by Baileys Dream returning from his Easter Cup win at Addington looking more like a grown-up than the spoilt kid he has been most of his career.

"He is aggressive and looks great so I couldn't be happier with him.

"If he could lead he would have no problems going quicker than 1:55, which would give us a chance."

If Baileys Dream could wrest that pacemaking role he would only have to race up to his last start win to test Mainland Banner.

But that may be where the problem lies - there are several pacers in New Zealand good enough to test Mainland Banner but few special enough to beat her.

Her only defeat this season has been when she just failed to overcome a 10m handicap in the Auckland Cup last month and she should really win under tonight's free-for-all conditions.

Stable foreman Rhys Fensom is pleased with the mare's recent work and she has always raced well fresh in the past so her seven weeks away from the track may not be a major concern.

Her biggest problem could be that she has looked a length below her freakish best in her two starts at Alexandra Park and at this level that may make her vulnerable.

The $1.50 bookies were offering yesterday is way too short but she is likely to start closer to $2 on the tote.

That race is by no means between the two glamour pacers, with up to six of their rivals capable of a 1:54 mile under the right conditions.

A second-line barrier draw saw Mr Bojangles open at a staggering $21 yesterday, a price that looks inviting as he follows out Mainland Banner.

He missed away in the Easter Cup but is back on his home track tonight and would appreciate a hot pace. If he gets that he has a miracle win hope.

So too does Molly Darling, who has already beaten Mainland Banner off level marks and looks to be peaking at the right time, while Badlands Bute, Mr Williams and Dundinka's Cullen are others who could get serious money without surprising.

MILES OF TALENT

* The $100,000 Taylor Mile is New Zealand's greatest sprint race.

* Tonight's Alexandra Park race will be dominated by champion mare Mainland Banner, who has drawn perfectly.

* Baileys Dream looks her biggest danger, especially if he can race to the front.

* Tonight's meeting also sees the strongest trotting on the track so far this season.