Racing: Trainer confident of victory

Monkey King may not be perfect heading into the opening night of the Interdominions in Sydney tonight but he is close enough to still be backed with confidence.

"He is perfect for where he needs to be at the start of a series like this," says Canterbury trainer Brendon Hill.

"With three big races in 16 days you don't want to have them totally screwed down because I want some improvement there.

"But he is 95 per cent fit and I think that should be fit enough to win this week and then he should be spot on for the final."

Hill is in the enviable position of having the in-form favourite for the series as well as a huge back-up chance in Baileys Dream.

He is thrilled with how the pair's final preparations for the series have gone and that includes their barrier draws, with both starting from four on the front line in their 2160m heats.

"The draws are almost ideal," says Hill. "They mean we should be able to settle handy to the pace, which as we all know at Harold Park is crucial.

"The main objective this week is to get as many points as possible because we think the bigger tracks later in the series will suit our horses more.

"And from these draws we shouldn't risk getting shuffled back, which is important."

Particularly so for Baileys Dream, a long-striding pacer, who, on occasions, can hang in his races.

"I have actually campaigned Bailey at Harold Park before when Reidman [Steven Reid] trained him and he handled the track all right.

"But being close to the speed will suit him a lot more than having to get back and come wide." Baileys Dream returned to racing after a year-long layoff with a third to Monkey King in the $60,000 Summer Cup over 2600m mobile at Addington on February 6.

He has since led Monkey King in a workout between races at Ashburton last Saturday.

"They worked over 2400m in 3:12 and came their last 400m in 27.1 seconds which should have opened them up nicely."

Hill says Baileys Dream needed that run more heading into the series than Monkey King, who had such a great fitness base after his stunning November.

His wins in the New Zealand Cup, Free-For-All and Miracle Mile that month coupled with the sometimes moderate form of some key rivals since mean he is the pacer most bookies rate as the one to beat in the A$1 million final on March 7.

While Hill's primary focus will be on Harold Park tonight, he will also have one ear on Alexandra Park via the phone because his third open-class pacer, Tennis Ball, resumes in the main pace there.

Tennis Ball has not raced since a strong spring campaign but thrilled Hill with a recent workout.

"He is the sort of horse who doesn't need a lot of hard work to be ready to win and that is why he has such a good record fresh.

"He is up there for the Auckland Cup and if he is going to be a realistic chance in that he should win this week."

Tennis Ball was formerly trained in the north but does meet two proven, fitter open-class rivals in Georgetown and Big Dog.

OPENING NIGHT
* The Interdominion Pacing Championships start at Harold Park in Sydney tonight.
* New Zealand has seven representatives in the series.
* Monkey King is the $4 favourite to win the title.
* His trainer Brendon Hill says the great pacer is spot on.