MELBOURNE.- Courage Under Fire will start the hottest New Zealand Interdominion favourite in over 30 years after drawing the perfect barrier.
Usually it is risky saying any barrier draw is perfect. After all, you never really know what will happen in the race, who will attack, who will sit back and exactly what sort of run a seemingly good barrier will deliver.
But driver Colin De Filippi admits if he could have picked any draw for Courage Under Fire in Saturday night's $A1million Interdominion Grand Final he would have chosen barrier two.
In the end he didn't have to bother. The connections of Courage Under Fire never got to choose their draw because they were the last horse listed to be allocated with a barrier at yesterday's barrier draw luncheon.
While rival trainers and owners went on to the stage and chooe a promotional gift with the draw underneath, the Courage Under Fire camp sat and waited for their fate.
By the time it got to them only barrier two was left, bringing a huge roar from the crowd who have adopted the champ more than ever after the controversy of recent days.
"That was exactly where I hoped he would draw," said De Filippi.
"Barrier one wouldn't have been ideal because he could have been crossed early and locked away on the pegs while getting out wide means he might have had to work too hard early.
"And had he drawn the back line, that would have made things tough because this is a hard track to come from back on."
With Kyema Kid drawn inside him De Filippi has the choice of heading to the front and holding the lead but says he may take another option.
Former US-based flying machine Slug Of Jin has drawn barrier four, with the other favourite, Shakamaker, at barrier six.
"If he was 100 per cent right then I would lead and it would be up to them to run us down," said De Filippi.
"But with the few little problems he has had I might hand up to Slug Of Jin and then follow him because I don't think he would be handing up to anything else.
"Then I could use the passing lane if I had to.
"Bruce is very happy with the little fella's hoof and things really look spot-on for Saturday night."
The emotions created by the planned transfer of Courage Under Fire to Sydney trainer Brian Hancock after the Grand Final were never far from the surface at yester-day's draw.
The 600-strong crowd burst into applause at any mention of trainer Bruce Negus and also gave De Filippi a rousing reception.
Mention of owner Greg Brodie was not kept to a minimum and greeted with silence.
If De Filippi chooses to trail with Courage Under Fire it could also cause problems for Shakamaker.
A Slug Of Jin leading-Courage Under Fire trailing scenario leaves Shakamaker's trainer John Justice potentially in big trouble.
"I don't think even Shakamaker can sit parked and win the Grand Final and I don't really fancy my chances of getting across to the lead," said Justice.
But if Justice chooses to take a sit he could be giving the other two favourites a start heading into Moonee Valley's flat final bend, not an encouraging prospect.
Australia's leading harness racing bookmaker Steven Single agreed - shortening Courage Under Fire to $1.80, with Slug Of Jin now the second favourite at $4 and Shakamaker at $6.
"The series so far has shown horses can't come from too far off the speed and win, so really it is hard to go past Courage Under Fire and Slug Of Jin now," said Single.
"And with the emotional money certain to come for Courage Under Fire I can see him starting $1.60 on the night."
Just seconds after the draw Single took a $15,000 win on Courage Under Fire and expected more to come.
The other Kiwis were not well suited by the draw, with Yulestar (10-1) in barrier five and Happy Asset (33-1) barrier seven, the outside of the front line.
Both will settle back and face a huge task with the favourites in the leading division.
"We really have our work cut out now and it is hard to go past Courage Under Fire," said Happy Asset's driver Anthony Butt.
The field for the $1million Interdom Grand Final in barrier draw order is.- Kyema Kid (1), Courage Under Fire (2), Admiral's Avenue (3), Slug Of Jin (4), Yulestar (5), Shakamaker (6), Happy Asset (7), Safe And Sound (8), Colbruce (9), Atitagain (10), Zyuganov Leis (11), Captain Rufus (12), Breeny's Fella (13). Emergency: Zyuganov Leis.
Racing: Little champ's draw perfect
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.