Racing: Hill pleased with barrier draw

SYDNEY - Having your Interdominion favourite draw outside his two biggest rivals would hardly seem ideal.

However, trainer Brendon Hill now believes it could be the best thing to happen to Monkey King heading into Sunday's A$1 million final at Menangle, outside Sydney.

Monkey King is still the $2.30 favourite for the final even after drawing barrier five, outside Australia's two leading hopes: Washakie (one) and Blacks A Fake (three).

That means Monkey King is almost certainly going to have to come from behind the Aussies in the 2300m mobile event, but Hill says that suits him fine.

"Initially I wasn't thrilled but the more I think about it the better it is," said the Cantabrian.

"The most important thing is that there is only one front line of horses, with all 10 across the front.

"So that means we won't have horses poking up inside us from the second line keeping us wide.

"Really, Ricky [May, driver] should be able to slide across to midfield in the running line with no worries."

That was what unfolded on the same track last November when Monkey King won the Miracle Mile and he will be even better suited by the distance on Sunday.

His task will not be an easy one, though, with both Blacks A Fake and Washakie recording stunning heat wins at Newcastle last Saturday night.

The entire race may depend on the attitude of Washakie's trainer-driver John McCarthy.

The former New Zealand pacer has been a revelation since McCarthy started driving him more aggressively in his races in December.

With the gate speed to stay in front from barrier one, Sunday would seem a strange time for McCarthy to change those tactics so he looks the early leader.

If he stays there the race becomes significantly harder for Blacks A Fake, who lacks the speed these days to race anywhere but handy.

But if McCarthy decides he doesn't want to go to war with his fellow Queenslander and concedes the pacemaking role to Blacks A Fake the latter becomes the horse to beat. That, however, looks unlikely.

Either way Hill is confident that Monkey King is in career-best form.

"He is right in the zone at the moment.

"I would say he is as good, if not better, than he was when he won the New Zealand Cup."

The other big winner out of the Kiwis is Our Awesome Armbro, who will start from two.

That gives him a great shot at the trail if Washakie leads and he now become a realistic place chance.

The rest of the six-strong New Zealand contingent didn't fare quite so well, though, with Changeover, Bondy and Mr Feelgood all set to start at huge odds after drawing wide.

Remarkably, Bondy, who is unbeaten in Australia and won the Hunter Cup three starts ago, was rated a $26 chance after the draw.

The field for the Interdominion Pacing Final at 7pm (NZ time) on Sunday is Washakie (1), Our Awesome Armbro (2), Blacks A Fake (3), Atomic Ark (4), Monkey King (5), Baileys Dream (6), Changeover (7), Bondy (8), Mr Feelgood (9), Smoken Up (10). Emgs: Sammy Maguire, Be Good Johnny.

The emergencies were not included in the draw but will take the barrier of the horse they replace.