Racing: Pure Power looks to win his way toward a New Zealand Cup start

Pure Power feels more at home away from home.

That comfort level makes him a great each-way bet in tomorrow's $35,000 Methven Cup.

The mammoth Pukekohe pacer is one of the biggest pacers racing in Australasia, wearing a 67-inch hopple, compared with normal pacers who wear hopples measuring 60 inches or shorter.

His giant strides mean he doesn't exactly glide around a 1000m track like Alexandra Park but revels in the wide open spaces of the bigger South Island tracks. And they don't come much bigger than Methven, where Pure Power is looking to win his way toward a New Zealand Cup start.

Pure Power galloped on the first bend at Alexandra Park last start but trainer Dave McGowan is adamant that won't be an issue tomorrow.

"He loves the big tracks down there and loves racing left-handed so I have no concerns about him galloping," said McGowan.

"I think he will be very hard to beat because he felt awesome in his work on Tuesday and came his last 400m in around 26 seconds."

Having already won an open-class race Pure Power comes in well off just a 10m handicap tomorrow, so his biggest danger will be fellow giant 5-year-old Franco Emirate.

He is a potential superstar but is so hit-and-miss from a standing start he is impossible to back at short odds, especially being off a 20m handicap with little room to move because of the 30m tapes behind him.

If he steps safely, Franco Emirate may have the class to give Pure Power a start, if he doesn't then the northerner will represent great value.