Racing: Delft can take Rowe

It took Delft just a few giant strides last week to convince Tony Herlihy he can win tonight's $100,000 Rowe Cup.

The Interdominion champion goes into tonight's group one event with seemingly everything against him - a last-start defeat, little recent racing and a 10m handicap in a capacity field.

But he showed enough with his fighting fourth last Friday to confirm to Herlihy he is right up to the mark for tonight's final major trot of the season.

Delft was a well-beaten fourth in last week's lead-up but that was after starting from a 20m handicap, getting well back and then finding plenty of equine roadblocks every time he went to improve.

In desperation Herlihy went five wide down the back straight and at breakneck speed into the final bend, a bend which has caught him out in the past when he has had to negotiate it wide.

But Delft cruised around it before punching home hard to register the run of the race.

"I was impressed by what he did," said Herlihy. "That was his first run in over three months and we didn't have any luck. Eventually I had to just throw caution to the wind and he made up a huge amount of ground.

"I was really happy with his run and when I let him go he showed he has come back at good as ever."

While Herlihy has always had a high opinion of Delft it was galvanised by the giant's unbeaten Interdominions, in which he beat many of tonight's opponents after starting from the same 10m handicap.

"He really stood up to be counted over there and I think that showed how far he has come. He is a better horse now than he was a year ago."

While the handicap in such a big field looks daunting Delft has two major factors in his favour: the open class trotters aren't that good and the no-push out rule.

With no superstars among the trotting ranks Delft won't have to trot anything like the 4:5 time he would have had to trot against a Lyell Creek or La Coocaracha.

And the no-push out rule until the 1000m mark means when Herlihy wants to move he should, with the easier tempo of the 3200m race, be able to get handy or even press for the lead.

If he could reach the front, as he did in all three of his Interdominion runs, then few in this field could run him down.

The two closest horses to Delft in performances and ability are Pompallier and A Touch Of Flair but last week was hardly an ideal lead-up for either.

Pompallier was scratched with a minor problem so has now not raced for nearly two months while A Touch Of Flair galloped twice on the top bend.

At his best the latter is exceptional but he is still only a five-year-old and may lack the stamina of his older rivals.

He does, however, have the advantage of being off the front line and with the right run he can win, which is more than you can say for most here.

Inspire won last Friday's lead-up race in the style of a mare who will win a group one race at some stage. The question is whether she is ready to take that step tonight?

Her astute trainer Paul Nairn believes she can take the next step so, with her manners and form, she deserves second favouritism.

Glenbogle, Romper Stomper and Ruthless Jenny look the next best chances, with Iwi Alex the blowout.