Co-trainer Mark Purdon is undaunted. "He is very, very good and if they go hard I think he can still come sit parked and be the one to beat," he said.
Whether punters want to brave taking $1.40 to multi up Chase Auckland (R7, No.11), especially with key rival King Of Swing (1) drawn to lead or trail is another matter.
In a deep field the favourite should still win but for bad luck's sake alone the $1.40 may not be worth it as a multi anchor and stablemate All U Need Is Faith (12) might make better place sense.
Also facing what looks a tricky draw on paper is Bettor Joy (R8, No.9) but her inside second line marble may not be a disaster as the 150-1 chance she follows out has gate speed and could create a gap early.
It has been a mixed crop with no dominant filly but Dizzy Miss Lizzy (15) and Elle Mac (14) can win at their best and Bare Knuckle (4) looks like getting one of the better runs of the favourites.
Speeding Spur (R10, No.2) is the best horse in the National Trot but was disappointing by his very high standards when he couldn't run down Kyvalley Blur (5) at Cambridge last Sunday. That was only his second run back after nine months off and with the better draw he is still the one to beat, with Temporale (6) having the weapons to test the two favourites.
Early season juvenile races are often not as straight forward as they seem that could apply to Jessie Duke (R2, No.8) who has a reputation as big as his yearling sales-topping price.
He has a tricky draw to work with and no Alexandra Park experience so while the opposition don't look stellar yet, if he is odds on, move on.
Stress Factor (R3, No.4) was racing out of his grade when he won last start so meets some of the same horses, like Musculus (1), on the same mark so if he behaves he looks the best of the early bank builders.
Heavyweight Hero (R5, No.9) is an open class trotter of the future still maturing and even though he is not well handicapped it may not matter while Freedom Fighter (R6, No.12) looks one of the better value options for the day.
He was third to two good three-year-olds last start, meets a mixed bunch and his second line draw will boost his dividend.
If Vincent (R11, No.3) steps and races up to his recent two wins the Auckland Cup is his to lose with stablemates Titan Banner (2) the logical danger and Jack's Legend (4) the improver and he was, after all, runner-up to Lazarus in the New Zealand Cup.
