Racing: Draw concerns Dalgety

Smiling Shard will be driven by leading Victorian reinsman Gavin Lang. Photo / Richard Robinson

The Smiling Shard camp's attitude to tonight's Australasian Breeders Crown semifinal at Melton can be best summed up by the fact that regular driver Dexter Dunn will be at Alexandra Park.

Dunn was allowed to miss the drive by boss Cran Dalgety so he can drive at Alexandra Park, where he will partner Dead Calm in the main handicap pace.

And Dalgety, who trains Smiling Shard, says that is just fine because he doesn't think Smiling Shard will win anyway.

Smiling Shard and the other six New Zealand stars at tonight's meeting need to run in the first five to be guaranteed their spot in the rich ABC finals in nine days.

Smiling Shard's task has been made enormously more difficult by the fact that he has drawn wide on the second line, with Victoria Derby-winning Kiwi rival Courage To Rule drawn the ace.

"Sure, we would like to win and reverse the draws and I think we would," says Dalgety.

"But the reality is Courage to Rule is on a par with our horse and he is going to cover about 40m less.

"So I don't think we can beat him and we will do well to finish second."

Dalgety was, however, thrilled with how Smiling Shard worked in Victoria on Tuesday morning and says the big-winning colt is peaking at the right time.

"I think losing our heat down south and having to come over here early and race in the repechage was a blessing because he is a fat little fella and the race last Friday did him some good."

So much so that champion Australian reinsman Gavin Lang, who has more than 4400 career wins, will get off on one of his regular drives in David Hercules to partner Smiling Shard tonight.

"I am a professional driver and rate each race on its merits and I think the way this horse is working he is a better chance than David Hercules," said Lang matter-of-factly.

The race is still Courage To Rule's to lose from the ace with the rugged South Auckland pacer showing he has weathered a long season well with a blistering last 800m to beat Lanercost at Albion Park last start. Courage To Rule's stablemate Devil Dodger faces an interesting test in the other semi-final of this division as he has the ace and could be expected to try for an all-the-way win.

But he is actually a speedster whose most potent performances have been when saved for one sprint and if he does stay in front that could present Canterbury rival Franco Jamar with the trail and a great shot at beating him.

The Kiwis should clean up in that division, while De Lovely will be unbackable in her semi, where even a slightly widish front line draw is of little concern.

Her stablemate McAmber faces a far more difficult assignment in her juvenile pacing filly heat.

She is a big, rolling filly not suited to one on the second line and she may need luck to down local star Aussie Made Lombo.

While he will miss the Smiling Shard drive, Dunn has several winning chances at Alexandra Park tonight, most from the Graeme Rogerson team.

Dunn will partner last-start winner Dead Calm in the handicap pace, which looks ideal after his easy win under similar conditions last Friday.

He will have to contend with the much-improved Exceptional Cullen tonight.

The latter was ruthless downing All Tiger under these conditions two weeks ago and while he has gone back 10m in the handicaps the small field suggests he can win again.