Racing: Harness Jewels - Miami H will be way better today, vows trainer

Miami H and Kahdon at the Auckland Harness meeting. Photo / Greg Bowker

Miami H will be a far better trotter today than when he thrashed most of his Jewels opponents three weeks ago.

That is the pledge from trainer Derek Balle with the hot favourite for today's 3-year-old trot at the Jewels.

Miami H led throughout to beat most of his rivals today, with the key exception of Kahdon, in the Trotting Stakes at Cambridge on May 13.

But Balle says he was a tired horse that night and will strip much fitter today.

"He will be way better this week," said Balle.

"I only started him that night because of the preferential draw and he didn't even trot that well for him.

"We have got the right barrier [two] and I think he will lead and from there if he doesn't win or, at worst, run second, I'll be very disappointed."

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Colin De Filippi says he won't make the most important decision of his season until seconds before today's juvenile filly pace at the Jewels.

De Filippi trains and drives exceptional pacing filly Miss Elsie, who will start from the outside of the front line in the mobile mile.

Normally that would be a no-brainer for the conservative Canterbury horseman, who would ease out at the start and look to finish over the top of his rivals.

But De Filippi has been researching Cambridge mobile sprints on the internet recently and realises the importance of being handy.

"It is a big decision and one I really can't make until the gate is about to go," said De Filippi.

"A lot will depend on how the horses inside me are scoring up but she has the speed to go forward it I want to use it."

Miss Elsie beat older pacers in trying conditions at Addington last Thursday and has pleased De Filippi with how she has settled in to her Cambridge base.

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Michelle Wallis is adamant her Jewels fortunes are going to improve with Ima Gold Digger at Cambridge today.

Because they can't get much worse.

An Interdominion-winning trainer, Wallis has had only two previous Jewels starters for a last and a third last but she believes Ima Gold Digger is at his peak for the 4-year-old trot.

"A couple of months ago I started working him harder and he is a changed horse," said Wallis. "Since then he has been racing really well and I am happy with his workout win at Cambridge last Saturday."

Ima Gold Digger will go close to starting favourite today even from the outside of the front line.

"I won't be giving Todd [Mitchell, driver] instructions but I can't imagine he will be pulling back at the start."

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The favourites continued to tumble last night as multi bettor failed to react to very short fixed odds prices.

Horses like Beaudiene Bad Babe (into $1.60), Miami H ($1.60) and Major Mark ($1.40) all got into unrealistic odds with the TAB bookies last night as punters loaded up on multi bets.

That left Tintin In America as the only fixed odds favourite paying more than $2, and even he was at $2.30 last night from one on the second line.

While the early pools on the first three races will not be enormously boosted by Australian co-mingled money, the next four should be before the Australian galloping action hots up so punters should be able to get some huge odds about very good horses in the middle of the day.

Among the other movers last night was I Can Doosit who, after drifting during the week, was back into $1.80 and Miss Elsie came into $4 after getting out to $4.60 as the support for Collectable dried up.

The TAB will also take betting on four head-to-head markets, in which Bettor Cover Lover takes on Miss Elsie, Miami H versus Kahdon, I Can Doosit against Ima Gold Digger and Tintin In America versus Sleepy Tripp.

There will also be a three-option driver's challenge between Dexter Dunn, Anthony Butt and Mark Jones, with Dunn the warm favourite.