KEY POINTS:
When the most cautious man in harness racing says things are looking up it is time for punters to start thinking about jumping back on the Mr Bojangles bandwagon.
The handsome pacer has been one of the flops of the top grade so far this season, with his open class career put on hold after a dramatic form loss.
Now his ultra conservative trainer-driver Maurice McKendry says there is light at the end of the tunnel, light which could shine much brighter after the main race at Alexandra Park tonight.
Mr Bojangles comes into the race well placed in the handicaps for a pacer who was one of the best 4-year-olds in the country last season.
Two feature race wins at Cambridge last February had him pegged as an open class star this season but soreness derailed those plans.
"For a while we couldn't work out what was wrong with him and then it took some time to fix," said McKendry.
"He was sore in his feet and even had a little crack under one of them and you simply can't race in the top grade like that. You have to be 110 per cent when you are up there."
After a frustrating summer Mr Bojangles hinted he had turned the corner with a strong second at Cambridge last start to a race rival tonight in Powerball.
"That was a lot better for him and even though Powerball beat us easily last start I am sure he will be better for that run.
"He seems very well in himself and all he needs is some racing to bring him back to his best.
"This isn't an easy race against the likes of Powerball and Mr Williams but when my horse is right I am not scared of too many going around."
If Mr Bojangles can return to his peak McKendry may look at the Auckland Cup in March, although in typical McKendry style he is not getting carried away.
"Missing some of those big races this season may not have been a bad thing for him because he wasn't quite up to the best horses yet.
"He hasn't had that much racing yet though and has time on his side."
What he also has on his side tonight is standing-start manners, which might see him settle in front of Powerball and Mr Williams. If he can do that he is the best each-way bet.
Powerball's connections must know how McKendry is feeling after the leggy pacer started last season with a roar then his form fell away for no reason.
He has bounced back this summer though and such was the ease of his last-start win it wouldn't surprise to see him prevail again.
Mr Williams' bad luck appears to have come all at the same time as well, with the Brent Mangos pacer appearing cursed since Christmas.
He was knocked over at the start of the Franklin Cup and then got into an awkward spot in the Cambridge Flying Mile last start. Like Mr Bojangles he is a very good standing-start horse usually, which coupled with the small field, could help him overcome his 30m handicap tonight.
