Racing: Changeover ready to grab Kiwi baton

Finally Geoff Small has uttered the words which suggest Changeover can win tomorrow night's $1 million Interdominion Final.

"He's back," says Small.

The South Auckland trainer hasn't been able to express that confidence since an amazing three days in November.

They started with Changeover winning the New Zealand Cup in race record time and ended with his thrashing at the hooves of Auckand Reactor in the New Zealand Free-For-All.

In three days Changeover won and lost the crown of the king of pacing but the cost was much higher than pride or money.

Since Cup week, Changeover has been on a physical bungee chord, healthy and strong one week, battling lethargy the next.

Like a great horse his heart has been willing, even when it was pumping the contents of a bad blood report.

"We couldn't get his blood right for three months, maybe longer," says Small.

"It was never really bad, but bad enough to keep him below his best and you can't win big races like that."

Defeats in the Miracle Mile, Victoria, Hunter and Auckland Cups saw Changeover drift to $16 on some Interdominion markets. Today he is $4.40.

A short trip home after the Hunter Cup last month may have been the turning point on his journey of redemption. Back in Auckland, he started to look and work better back and was a fine third when short of his peak in the Auckland Cup on March 6.

He was better again a week later when second in his opening round of the Interdoms and last Saturday became the first horse to run down Blacks A Fake when the three-time Interdom champ had led in a major race.

Small judges Changeover not by that performance, but by his looks and his attitude.

Since his magical Cup win in November, Small has been asked hundreds of times how close Changeover is to that form. The answer has varied from "close" to "he is a way off that at the moment".

But now Small is adamant, Changeover is back to that New Zealand Cup-winning zenith.

"He is back there," said Small.

"He is racing great but more importantly feels great and looks superb.

"And David [Butcher, driver] says he is finding the line like his old self."

Now the real Changeover is back he can add the Interdominion to his bulging trophy cabinet and become New Zealand's richest ever pacer in the process.

It won't be easy, but he could be the right maligned horse in the right place at the right time.

Changeover has drawn barrier four and has the gate speed to go forward and sit parked before taking the almost inevitable one-one sit behind I Am Sam.

With I Am Sam being a stablemate of Blacks A Fake his camp will be keen for him to ride shotgun and that could ensure Changeover is sitting just off the pace.

Luck will play its part if the back-runners come forward early and I Am Sam is pressured to concede the death seat, or when Changeover needs to push clear inside the last lap.

And then there is the small task of running down Blacks A Fake again or holding out Auckland Reactor, who has thrashed Changeover in their only two meetings.

The Changeover who paced 3:56 for 3200m at Addington in November can do that.

And that could be the Changeover who finally returns to the track tomorrow night.

FINAL BATTLE
* The A$1 million Interdominion Final will be run on the Gold Coast tomorrow night.
* New Zealand has two of the three favourites in Auckland Reactor and Changeover.
* Blacks A Fake is aiming to become the first horse to win four Interdominions.
* Changeover may have returned to his best form at the perfect time.