KEY POINTS:
Taking Australia by storm won't be quite so easy for One Dream this time around.
The princess of pacing returns to racing across the Tasman in the A$75,000 ($82,000) Queensland Oaks in Brisbane tonight, looking to maintain an unbeaten record in Australia.
Last season she dominated the Breeders Crown in Victoria, overcoming an early gallop to win her semi-final while she sat parked to easily win the final.
That day she crushed Australian stars like Miss Hazel and Fleur De Lil but co-trainer Dave McGowan realises repeating that form this campaign might be the toughest test of One Dream's career.
Both Miss Hazel and Fleur De Lil look to have improved immensely this season, so much so that there has been strong fixed-odds support for Fleur De Lil to beat One Dream tonight.
Miss Hazel will miss the race.
"It will definitely be harder to beat the Aussies this time around, we know that," admitted McGowan. "I saw Fleur De Lil win the Gold Coast Oaks last Friday and she was awesome.
"She looks bigger and stronger than last season and I think she will be able to do more work in her races.
"So we know this is going to be a really tough month."
One Dream will head from tonight's race to a heat, then semifinal and final of the Australasian Breeders Crown, possibly lacking the aura of invincibility she carried in that series last season.
Her two defeats by Running On Faith in feature races in the last three months have raised questions about whether she has been pulling up late in her races or whether the physical advantage she had over her rivals has decreased.
Either way bookies may take her on tonight and it wouldn't surprise to see her get out to around $1.80 on the Queensland tote, a price rarely associated with the great filly.
One Dream has had just the one public workout since her Harness Jewels defeat on June 2 and impressed with a quick last 400m at Pukekohe last week.
She has a wide draw at six tonight but her gate speed, coupled with the fact most of the other favourites have drawn the second line, should see her lead or at worst sit parked.
"I'd expect her to get the front but I don't mind if she sits parked because she relaxes well there.
"She is very bright and happy and I am sure she is ready."
She will need to be as Fleur De Lil has been outstanding this season, with Dance Of Life, who won the Victoria Oaks, drawn to either lead or trail the favourite.
Victory tonight is not just about money though, with a comprehensive win here worth plenty in respect for feature races later in the cam-paign.
Fellow Kiwi filly Shez Spicey, one of only two horses to have beaten One Dream, is also in tonight's Oaks but performed well below her best in the Gold Coast Oaks last Friday and will be long in the market.
* The Queensland Oaks is part of a rare winter treat for harness racing fans, with four top races from Australia on Trackside in one hour.
The Oaks is at 10.10pm, the race after dual Interdominion champion Blacks A Fake continues his winter campaign against the New Zealand Cup runner-up Cobbity Classic at Albion Park. And straight after the Oaks, at 10.17pm, exceptional 3-year-old pacer Lombo Pocket Watch will contest the Newcastle Guineas as he prepares for his clash next month with Changeover and Gotta Go Cullen.
The magic hour starts at 9.30pm when exciting New Zealand trotter Springbank Richard makes his Australian debut in a heat of the Victoria Derby at Cranbourne.
The Harness Jewels hero has improved dramatically since losing weight in the first half of his trip from Oamaru to Victoria and trainer Phil Williamson is confident going into tonight's race.
Springbank Richard faces some of the best 3-year-old trotters in Australia and will start from the outside of the front line.
