KEY POINTS:
One worry down, two still to go.
That was the tricky equation facing top trainer Steven Reid as his stable stars prepare for a huge week, starting at Alexandra Park tonight.
Reid has Baileys Dream in the New Zealand Cup on Tuesday, and 3-year-old Montecito will contest the
Sires' Stakes Final.
Unfortunately for Reid, both have had setbacks, with Baileys Dream galloping away in Wednesday night's cup trial and Montecito drawing the dreaded second line in his group-one event.
That leaves Reid with plenty to think about heading into Tuesday, but closer to home life just got a lot easier for Monkey King.
The exceptional pacer will attempt to maintain his unbeaten start to the season in the handicap pace tonight, a task that has been made much easier by the scratching of Waitfornoone.
The withdrawal of the high-class mare leaves Monkey King looking a good thing, with the small field ideal for the sizzling sit-sprinter.
But Reid admits he wouldn't have minded if Waitfornoone had been in the opposition tonight.
"Sure, she would have been hard to beat, but the early part of this season is all about education for Monkey and she would have provided him with a good test.
"As it is now, with the small field, he will still have to be good to win but it won't be quite as good a measure of where he stands."
Monkey King was unbelievable coming from last at the top of the straight to win his latest outing at Cambridge, a performance which suggested he may be New Zealand's quickest pacer over 200m.
While tonight he meets old foe Ambro The Thug, who pushed him close in the Great Northern Derby last season, the conditions of the race suit the favourite more.
Monkey King's explosive style can occasionally leave him vulnerable to dawdle and sprint tactics by the leaders, but tonight's small field should ensure he is no farther than four lengths off the leaders starting the final 400m.
From there he should win.
Reid opts for Washakie, in race two, as his best chance tonight.
"He will be suited by the front-line draw and I think he is capable of a good 1700m. He is getting better all the time."
Reid will be wishing he could apply that same sentence to Baileys Dream so close to Tuesday's $500,000 Cup.
But the reality is that he has been left shaking his head by the rangy gelding's gallop at the start, and then subsequent performance, in the cup trial.
At his best Baileys Dream has the X-factor to win a major cup, but Reid is starting to fear it may not be next Tuesday's one.
"I was disappointed by what I saw on Wednesday because his manners have been so good lately.
"We know he can afford to do that on Tuesday and he will need to step his effort up a notch too. We are still in with a winning chance but I think he is going to need to be in the right place at the right time."
Baileys Dream was the $5.50 second favourite for the cup a month ago but has drifted to $15.
"The one thing I would say is that he produced a similar performance to what he did Wednesday last season and then came out and won the Easter Cup next start."
Montecito won his way into the Sires' Stakes by claiming the final heat last Friday but his second-line draw could prove a huge hindrance.
Not only does it mean he will have to come three wide at some stage but he is almost certain to be giving the favourites, Fergeimack and Changeover, a start as they press for the lead.
"I don't mind the second line so much but I would be a lot more comfortable with it if Gotta Go Cullen had drawn the front so he would be there to put some pressure on."
