Hastings trainer John Bary says wide barrier draws are like flea bites: if you don't like them you can scratch.
But the wide draw his stable star Callsign Mav has in the $200,000 BCD Sprint at Te Rapa on Saturday might be like a flea bite in another way, because it could end up being bloody annoying.
The four-year-old is the key rival to superstar mares Avantage and Levante in the much-anticipated sprint and has already proven in the Tarzino Trophy this season he has what it takes to beat Avantage in a Group 1 over 1400m.
He has been the third favourite all along for the race but his hopes of upsetting the mares may have taken a dip when he drew barrier 10, albeit still giving him the chance to settle in front of them both.
Bary says since there is nothing he can do about the draw so he isn't going to worry about it.