Racing: Making a stand for Cup

The bane of Monkey King's career could finally become his new not-so-secret weapon at Addington tonight - and maybe even win him a New Zealand Cup.

A wonderful pacer with the almost inexplicable ability to get beaten in our greatest cups is entering what could be his last season as a serious open class force.

He showed with a powerful comeback second at Oamaru on Sunday he still has the motor for greatness, but by losing 30m when galloping early he proved old habits die hard.

That lack of standing-start manners could well plague him again in the Canterbury Classic at Addington tonight although this time they will also dog his arch-rival Auckland Reactor.

In what is a puzzle that could bug punters in our biggest races for the next six weeks, both Auckland Reactor and Monkey King - the two favourites for the New Zealand Cup - seem to enjoy galloping away from standing starts.

So finally Monkey King's driver Ricky May feels like he is on a level playing field.

"I know he missed way again on Sunday but I think he will get better,"said May of Monkey King.

"But at least Auckland Reactor is doing the same thing and he has less experience than us.

"So, I think this could be a case of whoever gets away best could win."

May is realistic enough to admit the best Auckland Reactor is superior to the best Monkey King but the pair's lack of manners makes tonight's race a nightmare for serious punters.

If Auckland Reactor steps quickly, and that is a huge if, he is almost a certainty.

If he misses away and Monkey King steps well, on what we saw at Oamaru last Sunday he will win.

And if they both gallop? Well, maybe a below-par Mr Feelgood comes into play.

Punting on what horses are going to do in standing starts, particularly this early in their campaigns, is glorified guesswork but May says he knows one thing for sure.

"Monkey is at least as good as last season so I have no problems with where he is at physically."

Monkey King headlines a big night for May, with several other winning chances. He partners Monkey King's stablemate Harley Earl in the $40,000 Superstars Championship and was thrilled by what he did at Addington last Thursday.

"We didn't think he was ready to win then but he blew them away.

"This is always a hard race to win from the backmark [20m], but I think he will be better than last week so he will be very hard to beat."

May rates Second Wind (race six) as his best winning chance of the night. "He is a big strong horse with speed and he could even end up an open class horse so he will take a lot of beating.

"And I think Justakiwiboy could be a sneaky in race two as well."

MONKEY BUSINESS
* Standing-start problems continue to dog Monkey King.
* But in the feature pace at Addington tonight they could also affect his key rival Auckland Reactor.
* Monkey King headlines a strong book of drives for Ricky May.
* He and Mark Purdon look set to open favourites in the drivers' challenge.