KEY POINTS:
The much-anticipated clash of Weekend Hussler and Apache Cat looks likely to eventuate in Saturday's A$500,000 ($628,000) Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
The super pair won 11 group one races between them last season, but did not clash.
In what is shaping as almost a match race, the Lightning Stakes (1000m) will kick-start ambitious campaigns for the two horses who are scheduled to clash again only in the group one Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on February 14 before heading in different directions again.
Weekend Hussler's trainer Ross McDonald is confident Australia's champion galloper will win the clashes, despite Weekend Hussler never having competed over the ultra-short distance before.
"This will be his first crack at the distance, but I don't see a problem with that," McDonald said.
"They will need to be pretty slick to beat him.
"He won the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) first-up last season, so I don't see much difference.
"We haven't met before because Apache Cat dodged us last year. He won the Lightning, but didn't stay around for the Oakleigh or the Newmarket, both of which we won.
"So it will be nice to finally have a crack at The Cat."
McDonald is aiming Weekend Hussler at the greatest attempted cash-grab in Australian racing history - A$9.2 million in 16 weeks.
Track watchers have been impressed with the smart times Weekend Hussler has been running in work at his base at Caulfield in recent weeks.
McDonald says his star has matured and added 30kg since spring.
And his work last Thursday had the veteran trainer beaming and full of confidence.
"He knows what it's all about and he has that cockiness now of a horse who knows he's better than the rest," McDonald said.
"He still has a kick out and likes to take a bite of you every now and then - but then that's the way he's been all his life.
"You'd hate to see that change."
Weekend Hussler's campaign after the Lightning and Australia Stakes will include the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield, Dubai Duty Free at Nad El Sheba in Dubai and, finally, the A$1.5 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on April 26.
If he wins them all, he will net A$9,224,794 in prizemoney and bonuses, putting him behind only Makybe Diva (A$14,526,685) on the Australian all-time list.
Greg Eurell, trainer of Apache Cat, said the gelding had returned from his third placing in the star-studded Hong Kong Sprint in December in great shape.
"It will be an interesting race," Eurell said.
"We won it unexpectedly last year after after thinking the best we might do would be to run a place behind Gold Edition.
"He will have to put his best foot forward this year against Weekend Hussler, who will make it difficult for us. I'm sure Ross [McDonald] has been waiting for this clash for a while. The race has huge interest."
- AAP
