By Michael Guerin
Brian Hancock left Sydney a king and arrived in Auckland a novice.
In Australian harness racing Hancock rules. At Interdominion time, he rules with an iron fist.
The man they call the King of the Interdoms has won five Grand Finals, including the last two with Our Sir Vancelot, who has reverted to plain old Sir Vancelot for this series.
And it isn't just the horse who has changed - so has the man.
Because while Hancock has won 20 Interdominion heats, he has never won a race in New Zealand.
The champion trainer rarely campaigns members of his powerful Wollongong stable here but every time he does it is disastrous.
He brought defending champion Thorate to Alexandra Park in 1991 and the only cheque he went home with was his Interdominion travel subsidy one.
At Addington in 1995 his small team, again with a defending Interdom champ in Weona Warrior, raced like they were homesick.
These results did not make the king happy.
"I want to win at least a heat this time so I don't have to cop such a hard time from you Kiwis," said Hancock.
Hancock knows about getting, and giving, a hard time. He is quick with the sort of dry-humoured wisecracks only the best in the business can get away with.
His nickname for fellow champion reinsman Tony Herlihy is Forrest, as in Forrest Gump. It is not meant to be complimentary.
Ironically Forrest caused Hancock his greatest embarrassment of last season's Hobart Interdoms when, driving Anvil Vance, he gave Hancock and Sir Vancelot a shove in a heat that sent them into a gallop and out of the race.
"That wasn't very nice of Forrest," said Hancock of the little reminder that mates off the track are not mates on it. Especially at Interdominion time.
But giving Herlihy a hard time is not the main reason Hancock has brought Sir Vancelot, and to a lesser extent Quantum Lobell, to Auckland.
He wants to win another Grand Final, a Grand Final that would allow Sir Vancelot to stand alone as the only Interdom three-peater. A win that would seal his champion status and consolidate his stud career.
To do that Sir Vancelot will have to overcome racing right-handed, a 3200m mobile final longer than anything he has attempted before and a slight drop off in his form this season. Oh yeah, and that Christian Cullen horse.
A sizzling secret trial at the tiny Bulli track on Thursday confirmed to Hancock his champ can do it.
"He and Quantum Lobell worked right-handed there and I was thrilled. They really worked super," said Hancock.
"Not only did they work well but the right-handed way of going wasn't an issue. They were as good as they are left-handed."
Hancock's close friend Roy Purdon, one of the few trainers in harness racing whose deeds he can look up to, further eased his mind about Sir Vancelot's first start right-handed.
"Roy said the Alexandra Park track is so good they will handle it. That is good enough for me."
As for Christian Cullen, he has actually done Hancock a favour.
The pint-sized trainer is used to arriving at the annual Interdoms the centre of attention. Now the spotlight is glued to Christian Cullen and Sir Vancelot and Hancock can sit and wait.
His first victim may be the New Zealand TAB.
"I see they still have my horse at $10. I have been told to put a bet on him for the old boys' punters club from back home," said Hancock, sounding suspiciously like a man planning to invest more than just the punters club money.
While Quantum Lobell continued his love affair with Interdom barrier draws by securing the ace in the second, and weakest heat, on Friday night, Sir Vancelot was not so lucky.
From one on the second line he will follow out series outsider Frosty Mota in the first heat.
"I like to get a win early in the series with them but the draw won't help," said Hancock.
"But you never know what is going to happen during the Interdoms. It is a long two weeks."
Believe him, the king knows.
Pictured: Sir Vancelot shows off the head that wears the Interdominion crown. HERALD PICTURE / GLENN JEFFREY
Horse Racing: The King isn't dead
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