By MICHAEL GUERIN
The Holmes D G rollercoaster reached another mini high yesterday.
The dual Miracle Mile winner and reigning Grand Circuit champion has had a frustrating season.
Bad luck, viruses and his wayward standing start manners have left him with a formline rarely associated with a horse of his class.
But something finally went right yesterday.
Holmes D G was the only one of the early six favourites for the Interdominion pacing series to draw well. The series kicks off in Brisbane on Saturday night
Considering the series comprises three rounds of heats in a week, a good draw in the first heat would hardly seem a big deal.
But it is.
Saturday's mile heats are the only pacing ones with random barrier draws. The second and third round heats have group preferential draws which means the superstars will all draw badly.
So a good front line draw in the first round is the only chance horses like Holmes D G, Shakamaker, Atitagain, Yulestar, Courage Under Fire or Persistency have for an easy run.
And of that group only Holmes D G drew well.
He will start from barrier two in a rematch of this season's controversial Miracle Mile, with series favourite Atitagain drawn awkwardly at one on the second line.
Draws will be crucial through the series as Albion Park has the greatest leader's bias of any major track in Australasia and it is rare for winners to come wide on the track in the better class races as the leaders simply pace their last lap sectionals too fast to make that possible.
"That is great news, because this is our chance to get some good points next to our name," said trainer/driver Barry Purdon.
The Melbourne Betting Shop reacted to Holmes D G's perfect draw by slashing his odds for the May 5 final from $13 to $7.
Holmes D G and Atitagain will also clash with the Mark Purdon-trained Cigar in what appears to be the weakest of the three pacing heats.
The first round draws were kind to all of Purdon's three-strong team, with Pic Me Pockets drawing barrier two in the last heat and Mountain Gold starting in the weaker of the two trotting heats.
Pic Me Pockets clashes with defending champion Shakamaker, who has drawn the outside of the second line, comeback pacer Persistency (barrier five), Pocket Me (four), Ouch (three on second line) and speedster Wally Walton (ace) in the last heat.
That sort of line up could well combine for a sub 1:55 mile.
The other pacing heat brings together the two question mark glamour pacers of the series in Yulestar and Courage Under Fire.
Both have plenty to prove from their second line draws after disastrous performances at the Nights Of Glory carnival in Melbourne.
They have trialled well since, though, and are capable of beating their key opponents Cee New York (barrier two), Flight South (six) and Safe And Sound (one on second line).
After an outstanding trials win at Hawera 10 days ago, Yulestar has continued to come in for solid support on the New Zealand TAB and was at $6 to win the series last night, while he is still rated an $8 chance with Melbourne bookies.
Atitagain, who has long been the series favourite, drifted slightly to $3.75 in Melbourne after yesterday's draws, with Shakamaker also a drifter to $5, as well as Ouch ($21) and Courage Under Fire ($15).
Cee New York was tightened to $10 because of his good draw for Saturday.
The first trotting heat will bring a showdown between series favourites Last Sunset and Take A Moment, with the handicaps crucial over the 2138m sprint distance. Also in the heat will be 1999 Interdom champ Special Force, where he will be reunited with Colin De Filippi, who drove him to a hat-trick late last season.
The other trotting heat brings together the two horses who have spent the most time in the shadow of Lyell Creek - Mountain Gold and Sundon's Way.
While they face 30m handicaps over the sprint trip they should still dominate a heat which contains mainly poor Australian opponents, although they will still have to beat National Interest (20m), Djerriwarrh (10m) and fellow New Zealanders Eastnor Lad and Timmo, the latter a last-start winner at Moonee Valley for Clare and Dave McGowan.
Racing: Draw lifts spirits in Holmes D G camp
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