Racing: Awesome Armbro all ready to behave

The punter's enemy might finally pay them back at Cambridge tonight.

Awesome Armbro has cost punters tens of thousands during his career, not only through his own defeats but by carving up half the Great Northern Derby field when he galloped on the home turn in that classic two starts ago.

But for all his mental frailty the colt is still one of the more talented 3-year-old pacers in the country and that is why punters should stick with him in tonight's $20,000 Waikato Guineas.

Because while he is one of the hardest horses in harness racing to predict, his trainer Geoff Small is willing to put his faith in Awesome Armbro again this week.

"The way he is working at home I don't have too many concerns about his manners," said Small.

"I know he has done things wrong in the past and if that kept happening then we would have to consider gelding him and putting him aside.

"But he is getting better and I have been happy with how he has worked so I'd be surprised if he did things wrong this week."

That being the case, then, Awesome Armbro is the horse to beat because even though beaten, his two runs in the age group features at the Auckland Cup carnival were good.

He was still travelling well when he galloped in the Derby, while he came from near last at the top of the straight for fifth in the Sales Series Pace.

Tonight his only realistic danger should be Roddick, who looks a likely leader, and the race could develop into a slogging match between the pair over the latter stages.

They are both very big on ability but Awesome Armbro may be just a shade quicker at this early stage of their careers.

Small rates another stable rep, Hippity Hop, an upset hope in tonight's feature, the Elliot Futurity.

"I thought his run in the open class mile last week was good enough to win this, although it won't be easy.

"I have a lot of respect for Mr Williams but the rest of them are in his range, so if he steps well he will be a chance."

Small's attention will turn across the Tasman tomorrow where Winforu faces a tough second line draw in the South Australia Cup.

It is a race in which he backs up from a horror run in last Saturday's Shepparton Cup.