KEY POINTS:
"One on one, they can't beat him."
That is the ruthlessly confident opinion of trainer Sean McCaffrey as he prepares Sovereignty for revenge at Alexandra Park tonight.
The Cambridge trotter takes on most of the best 3-year-olds in the country in the $90,000 Sires' Stakes, including Doctor Mickey, who downed him in the New Zealand Trotting Derby last start.
Sovereignty was a certainty beaten that night, having to sit three wide for the last mile before being bombed late by the longshot winner.
It was a bitter pill for McCaffrey to swallow but he says the performance came with its consolations.
"I think after what his rivals saw at Addington that night not too many of them will want to post him wide again.
"I think he gained a lot of respect that night." And that respect, plus some added gate speed, suggests Sovereignty is the logical winner of tonight's 2200m group two event.
He went to the Cambridge workouts for more experience behind the mobile last Saturday and showed blistering early speed before beating the maiden pacers in the fastest last 800m of the admittedly quiet programme.
"But he showed real speed from behind the mobile. After what I felt last Saturday I'd be keen to see Maurice [McKendry, driver] go forward and try and get the lead. If he did that they wouldn't beat him and even if he sits parked I think he can win.
"Because, and I don't like saying this after what he did at Addington, he has come back a better horse.
That suggests the $2 bookies are offering on Sovereignty may even be good money, although this is a better than average 3-year-old crop.
Doctor Mickey again looks the biggest danger to Sovereignty as he, too, is on a steep improvement curve but almost any runner could place without surprising.
Among tonight's other highlights punters should see a match race between good 4-year-olds Costalot and Victory Spirit in the Country Cups Final, with Costalot having the easier handicap and therefore the better bet. Rum Ball looks an great each-way chance in the Sales Series Fillies Final, in which she should lead, although Rona Lorraine was so good last start she will take plenty of holding out.
And Antares should win the Morrinsville Juvenile Stakes as he looked in need of his race last start.
