Racing: Hot pace should suit newcomer to top class

A vintage Auckland Trotting Cup field could actually help De Lovely in her bid for the greatest win of her career tomorrow night.

The 4-year-old mare will be thrown in against the big boys for the first time in the $400,000 Alexandra Park thriller, even after missing the lead-up last Friday.

With three star Australians in the race, De Lovely faces one of the best Auckland Cup fields in a decade but unofficial co-trainer Geoff Small says that could work in her favour.

"I have been up against these types of horses a lot over the last decade and they are always hard to beat," he said.

"But I think the fact there is so much depth in the field means they will have to go hard and that is our best chance of winning.

"Sitting off the speed, I think she has as much kick as any of them and we will drive her to give her a chance to use that.

"So the harder they go the better."

Small wasn't convinced about starting De Lovely in the 2700m gut buster until a sparkling private workout on Monday.

"We are in a strange position because she doesn't need to start in this, she has so many other options later in the season.

"But she was very, very well on Monday morning and I know she is up to it.

"The question now is just where she stands against these absolute top horses."

In that regard, tomorrow night's Cup is also a trial of sorts, not only for De Lovely's immediate future but further down the track.

A big performance tomorrow night might convince Small to continue her Interdominion campaign and suggest the New Zealand Cup should be her main aim next season.

If she fails she might be set solely for the four-year-old races before next season is reassessed.

De Lovely is rated a $13 chance by the TAB, the longest fixed odds price of her career, reflective of the quality of tomorrow night's field.

Small says he will let driver David Butcher do all the thinking from barrier five, which looks tricky with so much gate speed inside her.

"I don't have a plan but I think David will look to pop in to a gap somewhere early and get some cover, that is definitely her best chance against these sort of horses."

Themightyquinn remained the $3.50 Cup favourite overnight, with Monkey King, Stunin Cullen and Auckland Reactor at $5.50.

Sushi Sushi is still the hot $1.50 favourite for the Woodlands Derby.