By MICHAEL GUERIN
Mac De Stroyer has been transformed in just six days.
The north's best 4-year-old pacer returned to racing with a solid third in the Flying Mile at Cambridge last Friday night.
That was after some conservative mid-race tactics by trainer-driver Todd MacFarlane, who opted to hand up to Seafield Raider.
There was a reason for that conservatism, with Mac De Stroyer short of peak fitness as MacFarlane hones him for the major 4-year-old races later this month.
But MacFarlane says he won't have to be so soft on Mac De Stroyer in tonight's $26,000 Cambridge Classic.
"That run last week has improved him a heap," he said.
"He really needed that run but he will be a lot fitter this week and I think that gives me more options."
Mac De Stroyer has drawn barrier six tonight but should have enough gate speed to cross his two most favoured rivals Seafield Raider and Classic Turbo.
If he does lead, MacFarlane would then have the option of staying in front or again handing up to Seafield Raider, the latter likely to guarantee him the trail until the top of the straight. If he has improved as much as Mac- Farlane says, that should be enough to see him win.
Seafield Raider will be better suited to the 2200m tonight than he was to the muddling mile last Friday while Classic Turbo is the question mark horse of the event.
He has looked special in his short career and was impressive at the Pukekohe trials on Sunday but could be under the odds tonight. He is a class four horse racing Cup class pacers and hasn't raced in the last month so he may be worth betting against.
Outside the favoured three, stablemates Pic Me Pockets and Riley Hale are worth keeping an eye on.
While they will struggle to win tonight from second line barrier draws both appeal as realistic chances in the rich 4-year-old races at the Rowe Cup carnival and should be the improvers out of the race.
Tonight's meeting boasts a tough $75,000 Pick Six, in which Mac De Stroyer looks one of the few anchor options.
Southern trotter Smart Evander chased home two smart 3-year-olds at Addington last week so would appear to have a class edge on his novice opponents in the first leg.
But among his rivals will be The Winebox, a smartly-named brother to former Rowe Cup runner-up Inda Bank who has been impressive at recent trials.
"He has ability but is a big horse with a bit to learn. If he does everything right then he would be very hard to beat," said trainer-driver Barry Purdon.
The fourth leg of Pick Six sees Holme And Away return to sprint races, which should suit the speedster more than the 3200m of his last race.
Good enough to push Diamond N Gold hard in a 1:56.5 mile here two starts ago, he looks one of the bets of the night from a handy draw on a front line which lacks many opponents with real gate speed.
Racing: Mac can destroy Cambridge rivals
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