Racing: Raw talent not fully harnessed

Since harness racing's handicapping system was changed to make every second win as a 3-year-old penalty-free, few trainers have taken advantage more than Geoff Small.

At Alexandra Park tonight, last season's leading trainer will again line up what appears to be a handicapping standout, with the classy Awesome Armbro looking for back-to-back wins in one-win grade.

Awesome Armbro has always been highly rated by Small, who considered him to be of similar quality to group one winner Armbro The Thug as a 2-year-old.

Immaturity meant he never showed this talent as a juvenile but this season things have been markedly different.

Small, however, says Awesome Armbro is still some distance from being a complete racehorse.

"He's definitely got the raw ability and flair," said Small. "He just needs to get his confidence and be bombproof.

"He's got better but he's not perfect yet. He'll probably be off the unruly for another couple of starts."

Tonight Awesome Armbro will have to start from the outside of the front line but, given the style of his two wins in this campaign, that obstacle is not insurmountable.

In his last win, Awesome Armbro was forced to race three wide for a lap before working to the front.

Despite those exertions he was still able to win easily on a slick last 800 metres of 57.8 seconds. Coincidentally, his last two wins were in the first leg of Pick6, a trend that continues tonight.

As regular driver David Butcher is holidaying, his brother Philip will take tonight's drive behind Awesome Armbro.

"He's got a few tricks but on a good day he's easy to drive," said Small. "It's mainly just a matter of getting him concentrating.

"I'd love to be at Addington in November with him but I don't want to put him in too much of a pressure situation. After Friday we'll look towards the Sires Stakes race on the 21st of October."

One of Awesome Armbro's main rivals this evening will be stablemate Enrique, whom Small will drive. The son of Presidential Ball raced against some high-class juveniles last season and impressed with a slick win at Cambridge when resuming.

"I was really pleased with that run," said Small. "He went into it fresh and without any trials so I was surprised he went 2:45."

Yet another of the Small 3-year-old battery is Alpine Dream, a two-win horse who resumes in Race 10, a non-winners' event.

"He's probably on the next tier down from the best 3-year-olds," said Small, "but he's a handy enough horse. Last season he was a bit weak but he's a bigger, stronger boy now. He's got a lot of scope but the draw [barrier 7] makes it tough for him."

In tonight's 3-7 win pace, the former Geoff Small-trained Prince Of Peace appeals as a possible Pick6 anchor despite being off a 40m handicap. Prince Of Peace, who has been trained by Eric Matthews in his five starts since serious injury, had his chances markedly increased with the scratching of Seelster Mike, the horse who would have been his main rival.

While backmarkers in races like this are rarely successful at Alexandra Park, Prince Of Peace's extraordinary toughness is likely to carry him to victory in an otherwise moderate field.