Racing: Tortoise fit to beat the hare

By MICHAEL GUERIN

The hare and the tortoise clash at Alexandra Park tonight and, true to form, the tortoise is favoured to come out on top again.

The hare is exciting 4-year-old Where Eagles Dare, who is clearly faster than his more tortoise-like stablemate, Holme On The Riviera.

But as the famous fable tells, being faster doesn't always mean being first.

The pair clash in a $10,000 mobile event which has drawn the strongest fields of its class this season, boosted by several classy 4-year-olds using it as a lead-up to the Taylor Mile in a fortnight, and the return of last season's Easter Cup winner, Disprove.

In a race this even, barrier draws and race fitness are crucial, and they are the reasons co-trainer Lynn Neal rates Holme On the Riviera the better of her two hopes in the race.

"Where Eagles Dare is obviously faster than Holme On The Riviera, but I don't think that will matter tonight," said Neal, who will drive Where Eagles Dare.

Where Eagles Dare has had three workouts in the past month but will still go into tonight's race lacking the gut-hardening recent racing of his stablemate.

"Eagles is fit enough, but at this level you have to be spot on to win, because they could run any sort of time in a field this good.

"Holme On The Riviera has the better draw of the two of them and is a lot fitter."

He created a big splash when he arrived in the north last spring, then was only so-so at the Auckland Cup carnival.

But he continued his impressive improvement with a stunning last-start win at Alexandra Park, pacing his last 800m in 55.4 seconds, the second-fastest official last 800m at The Park this season.

"He has strengthened a lot in the last couple of months and is tough enough to keep coping with the rise in class," said Neal.

Even though both pacers look headed for open class they will still have their work cut out tonight, as the race contains many horses who won't be out of place in the elite classes.

Mister D G is the question-mark horse of the race.

His last-start win in the Cambridge Classic was a powerful demonstration of his stamina, and a similar time would be good enough for victory again tonight.

But he made a mess of his only other racenight visit to Alexandra Park and has been undergoing intense, right-handed training sessions in Palmerston North to help him to handle the track tonight.

"He sprinted his last 400m in just over 27 seconds right-handed in a workout at home recently, so I am more confident of him handling the track now than I was last time we were here," said trainer-driver Stephen Doody.

If Mister D G does corner smoothly tonight and manages to find the lead, then it will take an extremely big performance to run him down.

Of those likely to be back in the field, Eagles Together appeals the most.

He sprinted a rare sub-27 second last 400m at Alexandra Park last start, then beat Holmes D G at the Pukekohe trials last Saturday.

If they go very hard up front tonight and Eagles Together gets a decent cart into the race he could outfinish his rivals at good each-way odds.

The chances don't stop there either. Parisian Falcon and Alert Motoring are racing strongly, Sempre Veloce is coming back to his best and Frugal Vance has yet to disappoint.

And even though Disprove could have picked an easier race to resume in, he is still a group-one open-class winner well down in class, so deserves respect in what should be an outstanding race.