KEY POINTS:
The first six at the top of the handicap in the Horowhenua Shelter Trimmers sprint at Otaki tomorrow have won more than $1.1 million between them.
But how many of them will be ready to compete on what will be a deep, wet track in the early stages of new campaigns?
As a Railway Handicap winner Baldessarini is not badly off with 57kg, but having not raced since March and at his first start on a heavy track, he looks up against it.
Fritzy Boy similarly hasn't raced since finishing third to C'est La Guerre in the Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie, but he is the type likely to strike form quickly.
Some downgraded their opinion of Fritzy Boy because he was taken to the bottom of the South Island for the infamous 'triple crown', but they were brought back into line with the horse's Derby performance.
He won when fresh in the summer carrying a big weight and with a comfortable 54.5kg tomorrow looks well placed.
A heavy track is always a concern when a horse is not fully race fit Fritzy Boy's has won two of his three starts on slow surfaces. Astute trainer Alby MacGregor should have him ready.
Lord Monty is getting ready for 1800m at New Plymouth next week and is dropping back from 1600m to 1200m.
That's a difficult scenario, but he is a class act on all types of tracks.
Topweight Samurai is another with plenty of class and can handle an 'off' track.
Northern mare Kiri is a surprise acceptor for the Family Hotel Handicap after a similar race at Te Rapa was canned because of lack of entries.
She looks well placed here.
