By MICHAEL GUERIN
At her peak Electric Kiwi would win tonight's Breeders Pace at Alexandra Park.
But that is the problem facing punters. Not even the mare's trainer Doug Gale knows what to expect from his stable star tonight.
It is not that Electric Kiwi isn't genuine. Anybody he saw her dig deep in the last 100m of a similar race last week will have no doubts about the five-year-old's courage.
It is just that Electric Kiwi's body keeps letting her down.
Gale has been mystified for two years as to why the mare's form slumps two or three starts into each campaign.
"When she was a juvenile she had a cast iron constitution but since she got injured as a three-year-old I have had problems with her.
"It seems every campaign after she has had two or three starts her blood picture goes to hell and we start having problems keeping her at her peak.
"It could be related to the injury, it could be viral. I don't really know - if we could pinpoint it we might be able to fix it."
Those concerns stop Gale from labelling Electric Kiwi the horse to beat into tonight's third leg of Pick Six even though she produced the run of the race in a similar but stronger field last week.
"What really impressed me was the way she dug deep at the end of a hard run last week and I know she wasn't 100 per cent for that. If she is 100 per cent in herself she should be improved and would be a big chance.
"But there is always that danger with her. But we all know how classy she is."
Those willing to gamble against Electric Kiwi - and that might not be a good idea because she is clearly the best horse in the field - should stick with Ellmer Rae, who beat her last week.
The latter can be very fast away from a standing start and has been racing in career-best form from a red hot Steven Reid stable.
While Gale admits he does not know exactly what to expect from Electric Kiwi, his winning chances do not end there on a hectic night.
He rates Kotare Atom a huge winning chance in race two where the youngster's gate speed should ensure he leads in a race that lacks quality opposition.
"I think he will perform at least as well as he did on debut and if he does that I can't see much here coming off his back and beating him."
He also expects a prominent performance from his other juvenile, Jet Ball, in the richest event of the 12-race programme, the $45,000 PGG Sales Northern Hemisphere Time Pace, a race restricted to pacers born after January 1 and sold at the yearling sales.
Such stringent conditions mean a small field with little exposed form but Jet Ball does meet two others with big reputations, Shakeilah and Gold Prince.
The former is a speedy filly who has been racing well in good company in Australia while Gold Prince has impressed at southern trials.
"But I think Jet Ball went well fresh up and we gave him that race to get him ready for this," said Gale.
"He has to be a chance but this form is hard to line up."
So how does Gale see the rest of his chances tonight?
The Dragon (Race 3):"Obviously Journey Without Maps will be the one to beat but The Dragon is a good honest horse who will be hard to beat and a good place bet."
Chapel Holmes (Race 6): "She is a thick-winded little filly who might need a few more races to show her best. But she has ability and a good draw."
Boot Party (Race 8): "He often doesn't race as well as he works at home but he has been better lately and I can see him winning a race soon. He definitely has the ability but this draw won't help."
Parisian Falcon (Race 9): "He was unlucky last start and his chances have been aided by the scratchings that bring him into barrier five.
"He is maturing and getting better and I would be disappointed if he didn't go close."
Glenburn Flame (Race 10): "A lot will depend on how the race is run for him. With the right run he can win as he has been running on well but he faces a handy field."
Racing: Enigma of Electric Kiwi
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