Racing: Usurper has eyes on throne

Champion pacer Monkey King will play second fiddle to Power Of Tara tomorrow. Photo / Simon Baker

There has been a stunning role reversal in the Brendon Hill stable and it comes with a warning for punters on both sides of the Tasman.

Hill is best known as the man who trains dual New Zealand Cup hero Monkey King, who resumes at Addington tomorrow.

However, it is Power Of Tara, the pacer who usually plays the sidekick to Monkey King, who Hill has the higher hopes for tomorrow in the A$425,000 Hunter Cup in Victoria.

So much so the Canterbury trainer rates Power Of Tara at least as good a winning chance at Monkey King a few hours earlier.

"Obviously, Monkey is in a far easier race but he will be underdone for this week," said Hill.

"We would love to win with him and he is going there to win but he is fat because he is starting a campaign aimed at the Interdominions.

"Monkey being Monkey he might just get the lead and we might be able to sneak the race but I wouldn't be stunned if a horse like De Lovely came off our back and beat us."

The Summer Cup will be the first meeting between our best male and female pacers, although De Lovely is very much an open-class novice.

She was surprisingly beaten when driven with a sit last start but has the gate speed to go forward and potentially trail Monkey King tomorrow, which could make for a fascinating last 200m.

Monkey King though, with almost $3 million more in the bank, deserves favouritism, even taking Hill's concerns into account.

While usually it is Monkey King who is the stable hotpot and Power Of Tara the second fiddle, Hill couldn't be happier with the latter going into the Hunter Cup.

Power Of Tara produced a career-best performance for second to Stunin Cullen in the Ballarat Cup last Saturday when he surged three wide over the last lap and was only run down late by his fellow Kiwi pacer who had the drop on him.

His chances have been boosted further by key rivals Stunin Cullen, Villagem and The Sleepy Tripp all drawing the second line, while Smoken Up has pulled out of the race after working poorly on Tuesday morning, suggesting he has a virus.

"The field is stacking up easier than it initially looked and we have got the draw to go forward early," said Hill.

"That is where his running second last Saturday is so important, because he has gone from being a $15 chance to being a $6 chance and that means he might get more respect if we try for the lead.

"If he gets there he will be hard to beat because he is just fizzing at the moment."

Power Of Tara has always been a one-paced battler at the absolute highest level but his luckless fourth in the New Zealand Cup this season suggests he could win.

The danger will be former Kiwi pacer I'm Themightyquinn, who was enormous when coming three wide in the West Australian Cup last start.

Perth form rarely travels well to Victoria but he has already raced well there this season and even off a 10m handicap he deserves favouritism, although the $2.60 quote with many bookies this week was uninviting.

Stunin Cullen was good winning at Ballarat last week but the second-line draw has dented his chances, negating his good standing-start manners and he will now need a lot of luck in a race that looks to lack mid-race pressure.

Villagem ruined his chance by fiercely over-racing at Ballarat last week and could be the blowout hope, along with The Sleepy Tripp, whose New Zealand Cup third is the best pointer to his chances.

That leaves Smiling Shard as the other winning hope.

He has yet to prove himself in the best open-class races but loves Melton and is very tough but again the bookies' quotes on him this week have been far from generous.

Meanwhile, Hill advised his unbeaten filly Carabella is over a small setback and is still on target for the Northern Oaks on March 4.

UPHILL BATTLE

* Trainer Brendon Hill has a shot at a transtasman open-class double tomorrow.

* Stable star Monkey King resumes at Addington but is underdone.

* Power Of Tara has emerged as the surprise package in the A$425,000 Hunter Cup in Victoria.

* New Zealand has eight horses engaged in the group ones at Melton tomorrow night.