Racing: Handicap may defeat stable star

Steven Reid is taking his stable star to Alexandra Park tonight thinking he has almost no chance of winning - and he feels pretty good about it.

The Pukekohe horseman, who in August will go back to training under his own name after his successful partnership with Graeme Rogerson, lines up Sno's Big Boy in tonight's $20,000 feature trot and would usually be hoping for a winning performance.

However, he also trains the most improved trotter in the North Island this season in Meander With Earl, who gets a 30m head start from Sno's Big Boy.

And Reid says that may be almost impossible to overcome.

"If they both race as good as they have worked then I don't see how Sno can beat the mare," said Reid.

"I took her to the workouts last week and she trotted her last 2400m in 3:08 around Pukekohe and did it well.

"Simply, if she gets away and trots 3:28 or 3:29 for 2700m then I don't see how any of the back markers can win."

The pair were supposed to be in different races tonight but when the $30,000 mares' trot was canned because of small acceptances they ended up clashing.

Both are being set for the $25,000 Green Lane Cup next Friday and with that in mind Sno's Big Boy will have some improvement in him tonight.

"I don't work them together but you only have to look at their performances to think those back markers are going to struggle to give the mare a big start."

Meander With Earl started the season as a forgotten one-win mare but has improved 100m and her hard-running style makes her a back marker's nightmare.

She has improved so much she was fourth in the Rowe Cup last start and, as such, comes in remarkably well in tonight's handicaps.

Still, she hasn't raced since that May 7 classic and does meet a race-hardened Jewels contender in Ima Gold Digger tonight.

He also faces a 40m backmark but can make a flier from a standing start and could settle far handier than punters expect, making him the best bet of the 40m horses.

Many other horses who raced at the Jewels return for the final premier meeting of the season, meaning tonight should be their last outings for the term.

Among those is Imagine Me, who comes off a last-start third behind Beaudiene Bad Babe in the 4-year-old mares' Jewels to tackle the $25,000 Reg Clapp Winter Cup.

She is an obvious chance, although she has been hit and miss from a standing start and her biggest rival could well be another Jewels contender in Percy The Punter.

He never got into the red hot male 4-year-old pace at the Jewels but before that won the Country Cups Final under similar circumstances to what he faces tonight.

Percy The Punter is a good stayer with sound standing start manners and that makes him the one to beat in a field where Perfect Cullen and Dead Calm also make appeal.

"I was a little disappointed in Dead Calm last week because I thought he should have won but off the front this week should suit him better so I'd say punters can go again," said Reid.

While no Jewels winners re-appear tonight, one who went very close headlines another big stablemate's clash in race seven tonight.

Devil Dodger was perhaps unlucky not to catch Sir Lincoln in the three-year-old male pace and he bangs heads with Courage To Rule in a talent-crammed middle leg of the $50,000 Pick6.

In a race crammed with smart 3-year-olds, Courage To Rule has the advantage of drawing inside Devil Dodger and that could make a huge tactical difference.

Both are ultimately heading for Australian winter campaigns but so strong is the line-up they find themselves in tonight they should still represent good value on the tote.

PREMIER FINALE
* The final premier harness meeting of the season will be held at Alexandra Park tonight.
* The $100,000 Sales Series Pace is the feature pace.
* The Reid-Rogerson stable holds the key to the main trot.
* Several Jewels contenders return for tonight's meeting.