Racing: Kiwi hotshots have wings clipped

Unbeaten Dream About Me will face a tough task from a second-line draw to win at Melton, Victoria, on Sunday. Photo / Stuart McCormick

The glamour horses headlining the New Zealand assault on Sunday's A$1.5 million Breeders Crown at Melton have not fared well in the barrier draws.

While all four will still start favourites, The Orange Agent, Waikiki Beach, Dream About Me and Speeding Spur face greater tasks than their connections would have liked.

However, the news was better for the baby trotters, with Conon Bridge and High Gait set to start red hot after drawing the ace.

The Orange Agent may be our pacing star facing the trickiest task as not only has she drawn the second line in her 2240m final but last Saturday's other semifinal winner, Ameretto, has drawn the ace.

That suggests the latter, who smashed the Ballarat track record, holds all the aces and The Orange Agent may need to produce something special to beat her.

The Kiwi filly is still the $1.60 favourite with the Australian TAB but would have been as short at $1.20 from an inside front-line draw. From her second-line starting position it wouldn't surprise to see her push close to $2 with some bookmaker by the end of the week.

Start Dreaming, who was very good when second to The Orange Agent last Saturday, is rated the $6.50 third favourite by the TAB with Ameretto at $4.

Unbeaten Kiwi juvenile Waikiki Beach has drawn the outside of the front line but is so dominant in his A$320,000 final he is still the $1.20 favourite, although the rival many rate as the best of the Australians, Shadow Sax, has drawn the ace.

Waikiki Beach's unbeaten stablemate Dream About Me has copped a second-line draw, with talented Aussie filly Hot Shot Woman now looking hard to catch off the front line.

And Speeding Spur will also still be red hot but might get out to $1.50 after drawing the middle of the second line in the 3-year-old trotting final.

The race of the day looks set to be the 3-year-old male pace in which trainer Mark Purdon -- luckless in the draws with Waikiki Beach and Dream About Me -- has fared much better with Follow The Stars.

The defending Breeders Crown champion has come up with gate four, most importantly directly inside arch rival Menin Gate. Only a head separated the pair at the end of their semi at Ballarat last Saturday after Purdon elected to hand the lead to Menin Gate and missed grabbing him late after getting clear only at the 140m.

With that run certain to improve his fitness, Follow The Stars could well try for an all-the-way win on Sunday in a race where former Kiwi-trained pacers He's Lightfingered, My Kiwi Mate and Sluggem are the other favourites.

Australian bookmakers agree the draw favours Follow The Stars and moved him in from $2.30 pre-draw to $2, with Menin Gate now $2.50.

The New Zealand TAB is expected to open its fixed odds on the Breeders Crown races today.