KEY POINTS:
Only eight runners line up for the $25,000 York Cup at Avondale tomorrow, but you probably couldn't find a better betting race.
More than half the field is on the verge of a decent win.
One of them is Willy Smith, who displayed tremendous staying talent from a late summer and autumn campaign last season.
He always looked as though this season would be his best and he helped to confirm that with a nice finish into fifth over a too-short 1600m when resuming at Ellerslie two weekends back.
The jump to 2000m here is the key. He tends to get back in his races and the small field will assist him in picking them up in the closing stages.
Pretorius and Philamor look to be ready to score their next victories, and Luckshan, who won the race Willy Smith resumed in at Ellerslie, is capable of stretching up to this 2000m.
The projected rain would be a big assist for Luckshan.
Pretorius was considered a sneaky chance to prove a nuisance in the Counties Cup at only his second start back this preparation.
He didn't get the best of runs, being flushed out wide for a portion of the race, and is likely to strip a fitter horse for this.
Philamor has not been far away in 1600m races lately and has giventhe impression he has been looking for this middle distance.
He was only 2.2 lengths away from Wednesday's Avondale Cup winner Sharvasti at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup day.
That is good form for this race.
The interesting runner is Gorgeous George, having his first run since chasing Art Success home in the 3200m Brisbane Cup in June.
The 58kg might get to him late in the race, but he often turns in a forward showing when fresh and he looked good winning a Cambridge barrier trial.
* Latest odds: $3.20 Willy Smith; $4.50 Philamor; $5 Gorgeous George, Luckshan; $6 Pretorius; $13 Seventh Heaven; $18 Phenomenal View, Asgoodas.
