KEY POINTS:
The word "could" has been replaced by "should" in trainer Geoff Small's analysis of tonight's $20,000 free-for-all at Cambridge.
Last Friday Small went to Cambridge thinking Awesome Armbro could beat hot favourite Baileys Dream in the $75,000 Flying Mile.
It turned out he was wrong, but not by much, as the advantage of a front line barrier draw meant Baileys Dream led and Awesome Armbro had to sit outside him, resulting in a close but meritorious defeat.
But tonight the cards have fallen Awesome Armbro's way and he should get his revenge.
Baileys Dream and Awesome Armbro may be completely different to look at but have many career similarities.
Both rate in the top few pacers in the country but are not even the stars of their own stables.
Both have let themselves - and punters - down on many occasions, although appear to have come solid in the last year.
And both are capable of extraordinary things when they are right.
Small says Awesome Armbro is in that condition at present.
"He is in the zone," he said. "He trained super on Wednesday morning and I couldn't be happier with where he is at the moment.
"I thought he was every bit as good as Baileys last week and with the draws this week he should be able to turn the tables.
"Open class races are never easy to win but this looks ideal for him."
While there are rivals with gate speed inside Awesome Armbro, he is best drawn of the big three - Baileys Dream and Sly Flyin being the others.
So if driver David Butcher wants to go forward the lead should be his for the taking, providing he can keep Baileys Dream outside him.
And that, much like last week, could decide the race.
Tonight's race is a consolation for Awesome Armbro because had he won last Friday would have been on his way to Australia for the Hunter Cup and Interdominions.
"If he won last week he was qualified for the semis on the Inters and we would have gone.
"But now we will probably stay home for the Auckland Cup instead."
Baileys Dream is racing in career-best form and if, by some strange twist of racing fate, he got a better run than Awesome Armbro tonight he would almost certainly win. But you would not want to take short odds about that happening.
Sly Flyin has once again bounced back to his best, running on well after getting too far off the pace from a poor draw last Friday.
Unfortunately a similar trip may await him tonight, although if the favourites engaged in a speed duel he would be the most likely beneficiary.
Meanwhile, Small's pin-up pacer Changeover is back in work but unlikely to race in open class again this season.
Last season's champion three-year-old needed six weeks off after a torrid month which saw him beaten in both the New Zealand Cup and Free-For-All.
"He has come back looking great and I am very happy with where he is at," said Small.
Changeover is likely to be back at the trials at the end of March or early April and contest the Taylor Mile and Messenger Pace before his main target, the Harness Jewels on May 31.
"We have the option of the Chariots of Fire in Sydney but we might miss that.
"I am keen for him to not have too hard a year and then get ready for the New Zealand Cup."
