Racing: Youngsters Australia bound

Leading trainer Geoff Small had a busy night at the annual Harness Racing Awards with five visits to the podium, two for individual honours and three in connection with champion pacer Elsu.

A quick scan down tonight's fields at Alexandra Park might suggest he's already looking to get a flying start to the new season.

Small will line up Against The Wind and Ambro The Thug in maiden and one-win fields respectively.

But while both of the new season 3-year-olds have already shown their class by performing against the best of their age, Small is still somewhat reserved about their chances tonight, with both having bigger Australian missions in store.

"They'll fly out to Australia on Tuesday for the Breeders Crown," said Small. "They're both well and they should go good races but it's difficult to actually label either of them for Friday."

Against The Wind last started in a non-tote qualifier for the Breeders Crown, a race in which Small said she was simply too fast in a straight line for her two opponents.

Tonight she begins from barrier three but, while she will start a short-priced favourite, Small says she is no certainty to lead.

"She can get a bit stirred up behind the gate, so I'm not sure. If she gets outs and leads then all well and good but if she takes a sit then that's fine too."

Against The Wind looks particularly well-placed in her race given that nothing else in the field has won a race, whereas she has won three times and placed third in the group one Caduceus Club Fillies Classic.

The daughter of D M Dilinger is a half-sister to Small's former top filly Pullover Brown.

"Against The Wind is a bit smaller than Pullover Brown," said Small. "Pullover was always quite dynamic, it just took time to control her brain. This filly isn't quite as dynamic but she deserves her shot.

"If the trip to Australia goes well then we'll give her a bit of time off and bring her back for the fillies races in December but the priority will always be the horse herself rather than any race."

Small will adopt a similar take-it-as-it-comes approach with Ambro The Thug, though he says the Sires Stakes Series is already unlikely to be on his programme.

Ambro The Thug has had at least one start in each month since January but Small is not concerned about the racing taking its toll.

"He had a week off after Addington [in May] and he's coped all right with the racing. He's going through another developing stage at the moment and is well in himself."

Ambro The Thug was unlucky not to have won the male 2-year-old category at last weekend's Harness Racing Awards dinner. The son of Armbro Operative beat the best 2-year-old field assembled last season in the Sires Stakes Final at Addington.

But he was beaten into third in the 2-year-old championship at Alexandra Park after an extremely tough trip.

Had he won that race he would have been a unanimous choice for the seasonal award.

As it was, the majority of judges plumped for the unbeaten Jays Debut.

The remainder of Small's team tonight lacks the class of his Breeders Crown aspirants but the trainer does give a reasonable chance to Hill Of Gold in race seven.

The well-related daughter of In The Pocket took 15 starts to break maiden ranks but Small considers her good enough to win at least two more given the right run.