KEY POINTS:
You know that old saying about being careful what you wish for.
It might come back to haunt Dave McGowan and his champion filly One Dream at Ballarat tomorrow.
New Zealand's superstar three-year-old pacing filly is looking to cap an incredible season with victory in her A$168,000 ($193,000) section of the Australasian Breeders Crown.
To do so she will have to overcome a second line draw made tremendously difficult by the fact the other two best fillies in the race, Fleur De Lil and Miss Hazel, have drawn beautifully on the front line.
Yet trainer McGowan welcomes the draw.
"This is what we have been waiting for. All season we have wanted to drive her off the speed in a race and see just how fast she can come over the top.
"I am sure she will be at her best that way."
McGowan may have a point as One Dream has been her own worst enemy when in front, appearing to wait for her rivals.
But the problem is this hardly looks the ideal race to be trying to divebomb your rivals.
Firstly, while Ballarat at 1000m is big for an Australian track it is still only the size of Cambridge, so hardly an ideal track for horses coming off the pace.
Then there is the little problem that Fluer De Lil has developed so much this season she may be as good as One Dream.
The only time they have met this season was in the Queensland Oaks and Fleur De Lil sat outside One Dream and finished alongside her.
Of the two Fleur De Lil was the most impressive winning her semifinal of the series on Tuesday and it is hard to see how One Dream can cover more ground than her and win.
McGowan says his dream scenario is Miss Hazel and Fleur De Lil going hard early and then One Dream getting a cart into the race three wide.
"If that happened she could just explode at the top of the straight," said the Pukekohe horseman.
But that scenario has one major potential flaw. With Miss Hazel and Fleur De Lil certain to be running close to the remainder of the field are not good enough to attack, meaning One Dream may be left to challenge without much help.
There was one bright light at the end of her tunnel yesterday though, with Miss Hazel's driver Gavin Lang declaring he would like to stay in front on Miss Hazel.
With Luke McCarthy keen to lead on Fleur De Lil there could be the early fireworks needed to soften the leaders up enough for One Dream. Either way the great Kiwi filly finds herself in an unusual position heading into the race, with Australian bookmakers having her only second favourite in early markets for the event.
In the other three-year-old section Changeover has opened an unbackable $1.20 favourite after drawing barrier three and only bad luck looks capable of stopping him.
His trainer Geoff Small says the champ has come through his breath-taking semi win in perfect condition and he should work his way to the lead when driver David Butcher wants and be too good, especially with key rival Lombo Pocket Watch drawn poorly.
