KEY POINTS:
John Hay is hoping his balancing act with Houdini Star pays serious dividends at Addington tonight.
Houdini Star will be one of the favourites for the $100,000 Trotting Championship - the first major trot in this country since champion One Over Kenny was moved to an Australian trainer.
So if Houdini Star can win tonight, and or the Rowe Cup on May 2, he could well win the Trotter of the Year title.
But Hay says chasing titles is far less important to him than winning just one or two major races a season.
And that has made it hard to get Houdini Star fit.
"He is a horse that takes at least a couple of races to come to his peak," said the trainer-driver.
"When he raced up north at Christmas time he ran two national records in four days and came home ready to race again.
"But I don't want to go down that track. I could have had him racing a lot more in the last six weeks to get him ready for this week - but then I'd be giving him hard runs off handicaps in $14,000 races.
"I'd rather try and get as fit as I can for the really big races and look after him long-term.
"Sure, I'd win more races, but it wouldn't do him justice."
Houdini Star was a costly failure at Addington two starts back because he was simply too fat, but much better when second in a similar field last Friday.
"He is getting back to his best and I think he can win this week but I would have preferred a front line draw to use his gate speed.
"We will need some luck."
Particularly as his arch-rival Mountbatten has drawn the front line and has the gate speed to use it.
Mountbatten was an outstanding comeback second two starts ago but slightly disappointing last Friday when his fresh-up effort may have flattened him.
Braig looks the best each-way chance if the pace is on.
