Racing: Tiger to stalk Monkey

The question punters need to ask before the $100,000 Easter Cup is not whether Monkey King can give his rivals a 20m start.

It is how much more than that will he have to give them?

Monkey King will undoubtedly start favourite in Saturday night's feature at Addington which is so weak by its normal standards it struggles to deserve group one status.

With much of the field well below true open-class level, Monkey King - as a two-time Auckland Cup and one-time New Zealand Cup runner-up - should be way too good for his rivals.

He is, after all, the next best pacer in New Zealand behind Interdominion stars Auckland Reactor, Changeover and Mr Feelgood.

So class is not the issue on Saturday night.

But the riddle punters face is how much extra will Monkey King add to his handicap.

He is at best hit-and-miss from a standing start and, with major 3200m stands at Addington often messy affairs, expecting Monkey King to not lose any more ground at the start is optimistic.

If he can get a walk-in start, which being the sole 20m marker may allow, and step cleanly then he should be able to deal to most of the rivals her meets on Saturday night.

But if he gets fractious and gallops at the start, the big field will string out quickly and he could face having to pace his last 2400m in something spectacular to win.

Monkey King overcame a second line draw to beat many of Saturday night's rivals in a mobile 2600m last Friday and did it with plenty in hand.

But the most worrying aspect of that victory for his connections was the fact runner-up All Tiger should be a vastly improved horse for this week's staying test.

Last Friday was All Tiger's first start since beating Auckland Reactor at Cambridge in January and trainer Geoff Small says he will take huge benefit from the run.

"I think he will be three or four lengths better than last week," said Small. "Obviously he is not as good as Monkey King just yet but he is developing into a good open-class horse.

"And if Monkey has to give us a big start I think we have a chance of beating him."

All Tiger may have a way to go to be as good as Monkey King but he loves Addington, can be very quick from a standing start and looms as the big danger on Saturday night.

Tough and consistent southern mare Special Ops looks ideally suited to the 3200m stand and looks a must for trifectas alongside Mr Molly, who may be driven more patiently this week.

The latter pair, however, do not look greatly placed in the handicaps as neither has won a major metropolitan open-class race yet receive only 10m from Monkey King.

The night's other feature, the $100,000 Welcome Stakes, has attracted a disappointing field for the size of the stake.

Kotare Mach should win easily.

"He is working like a good 2-year-old should and from that draw he will be very hard to beat," said trainer Mark Purdon.

KING FOR A NIGHT?
* Monkey King will start a warm favourite in Saturday night's Easter Cup.
* He is in great form but the standing start could be a problem.
* The much-improved All Tiger shapes as his biggest danger.
* Kotare Mach looks a certainty in the $100,000 Welcome Stakes.