Sir Albert is racing at Ellerslie today rather than in Melbourne.
The sale of the highly promising gelding to Lee Freedman's Australian stable recently fell through and his future, immediate anyway, is on the home front.
Few maidens in the last year or so have made as impressive a winning debut as Sir Albert produced at Counties in late May.
The effort replicated his lead-up Avondale trials win - an effortless big finish, which will come in very handy if he does not have trouble with the testing conditions at Ellerslie today.
If it comes down to sheer talent, Sir Albert (No 10, R6) should win.
Lynsee Hofmann's 2kg claim will be very useful for My Happiness (No 3, R5). The promising maiden produced her best effort in three starts when she ran on strongly to be only as couple of lengths adrift of Heart Of The Ocean in a much stronger field than this at Tauranga last start. She has been given time to recover and although she will face a tough task on the home turn if she gets as far back as she has in her previous racing, she looks to have the talent.
The No 1 barrier draw may not be ideal for the second half of today's programme, but Tasman Raider (No 2, R2) might get away with it, particularly as the first event is a steeplechase. The first use of the footing along the rail should be fine and if Tasman Raider can produce the finish that won for him at Matamata last start, the opposition should have trouble containing him.
The very testing conditions may not suit Likely Story (No 1, R7) perfectly, but the opposition does not look up to much and he should go close to getting away with it. He made a good job of his middle distance debut at Matamata last start, finishing strongly into second from three places back on the rail. Kindleleath (No 8) was a bit unlucky last start.
You would assume a TV Guide Hurdles winner would be good enough to win a maiden steeplechase in the same preparation and that should be the case for Gold Story (No 2, R1). He showed winning the hurdles that he just loves the heavy stuff and he should not lack comfort on that score today.
His stablemate Golden Miller (No 2, R4) is close to another win and might be a good quinella with Le Rah (No 1).
A clear pattern at the Northern meeting last month was that staying races, particularly after the inside strip had cut up, did not particularly suit front runners. Al Burkan (No 4, R8) seems best suited right on the speed, but if Jim Collett can perhaps get him some cover he can prove hard to beat. He used himself up a bit too much at Trentham, last week and showed a lot of heart to win at Ellerslie last month.
The testing track will suit Barshu (No 3, R9). His form looks ordinary, but he copped a virus in early winter and has needed his four runs this campaign. Give him one more chance today. There is barely a runner that is without a chance of winning this and Reap Gold (No 9), with Michael Coleman aboard can upset.
The last is bound to be a slog to the line and that may not entirely be what Hot Streak (No 1, R10) is looking for, but he is smart and if he gets through the ground well can still win. Look at Myoka (No 4) for trifecta value.
* Christchurch businessman Jim Wakefield has been appointed to the new position of chairman of Harness Racing New Zealand.
Wakefield takes over from Ralph Kermode who stood down from the post of president at the annual meeting of HRNZ in Christchurch yesterday.
Under a new system the chairman is appointed by the HRNZ executive committee.
Racing: Promising Sir Albert can collect victory on talent
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