Racing: Changeover heads for spell after stylish Menangle win

Changeover's rollercoaster season ended in the same fashion it started yesterday - with a record win.

The Kiwi pacer led almost throughout the A$100,000 Len Smith Mile at Menangle, outside Sydney, pacing a personal best 1:53.4 in beating Smoken Up and Our Awesome Armbro.

The time is inside the New Zealand national record but outside the Australian mark of 1:51.9 set in the same race by Smoken Up last year, with extremely windy conditions meaning that could not be threatened yesterday.

But the winning stake confirmed Changeover as our richest-ever pacer, a title he might have earned when winning in Queensland last week, although putting an exact amount of his earnings is made hard because of the fluctuating exchange rate.

Yesterday's performance was a brave one as the Geoff Small-trained entire was three wide for the first 500m and worked into the strong wind down the back straight but still had little problem storming home in a sizzling 26 seconds for the last 400m.

It mirrored his performance to start the season in September, when he led throughout the Spring Cup at Alexandra Park.

That set him on the path to winning the NZ Cup in record time in November before Auckland Reactor and problems with his health kept him almost winless over summer.

But, in the past six weeks he has returned to his best, downing Blacks A Fake at the Interdominions before being very unlucky in the Final.

That return to form means he will enter the spelling paddock this week with his season deemed a success and his stallion value still intact.

Along with Auckland Reactor, Mr Feelgood and Monkey King he gives Addington officials a potential dream line-up for this year's NZ Cup.

Also at Menangle yesterday, champion Australian 3-year-old Captain Joy won his third Derby of the season winning the New South Wales classic.
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