By Michael Guerin
Auckland Cup favourite Dream About Me could end up the first victim of a little-known rule change in the great race at Alexandra Park on Saturday.
The wonderful mare is likely to lose her stranglehold on favouritism for the $250,000 group one after drawing barrier one on the second line at the 3200m start point.
And that has only come about because of a recent rule change most punters wouldn’t even be aware of.
The front line limit for standing starts at Alexandra Park has been nine for years but was changed to eight across the front from November 28.
The reason was concerns over the wider sulkies commonly used these days and how they cramped horses for room at the start.
Ironically that isn’t the case at the front straight standing start points of 2200m and 3200m but for consistency all standing starts at Alexandra Park and Cambridge are now run with a front line of eight.
Which means Dream About Me will be on the second line and giving away a start to her stablemate Titan Banner, who could well replace her as the favourite.
“I didn’t know that,” said her surprised trainer-driver Mark Purdon when informed of the change.
He wouldn’t be the only one, with full front lines in standing starts at Alexandra Park so rare, especially at the highest level, the rule would rarely enter punters or trainer’s minds.
Purdon wasn’t overly concerned by the mini handicap because the four horses drawn the inside of the front line — Hug The Wind, Hughie Green, Christen Me and Titan Banner — have all been good standing start beginner this season so should be ideal to follow through.
But it still means Dream About Me will have to give her older male rivals a start and a beating in a race that hasn’t been kind to mares.
Purdon admits he now rates Titan Banner the best winning chance for he and training partner Natalie Rasmussen, who will drive him.
“There really wouldn’t be much between our three but Titan Banner has a lot in his favour,” said Purdon.
“He is proven in the New Zealand Cup, good from a stand and has worked very well this week.
“So I’d rate him just our best chance but not by much over Dream About Me and Chase The Dream.” The latter will also start off the second line with Purdon requesting he be placed on the unruly after he galloped wildly at the start of the Franklin Cup two starts ago.
He redeemed himself from behind the mobile at Cambridge last Saturday but will still be giving some tough older stayers a start, with last season’s Cup winning driver Tim Williams in the sulky.
Dream About Me wasn’t the only favourite to luck out in the draws for a group one on Saturday, with both Marcoola and Spanish Armada suffering the same fate.
Marcoola will start from the outside of the front line in the $80,000 National Trot but after thrashing most of this opposition by 11.75 lengths at Cambridge last Saturday he will still start a very warm favourite.
Spanish Armada’s grip on the $150,000 Sires’ Stakes Championship has been loosened slightly though by her also drawing the outside of the front line, with arch rival Delightful Memphis better off at barrier five.
The twilight meeting starts at 3.03pm, with the Cup at 7.31pm.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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