Four of New Zealand's glamour horses have been handed just about their worst possible draws as premier racing returns to Alexandra Park on Friday night.
But that won't stop all four being red hot favourites, as bookmakers brace for an onslaught from multi punters.
The first of three premier meetings at The Park in the next four weeks gathers many of the best harness horses in the country, headlined by champion trotter I Can Doosit.
Even he copped about as bad a draw as possible and will start from five, albeit in just a six-horse field for the $40,000 Lyell Creek Stakes. But he has already been opened a $1.10 favourite by Australian bookies and those sort of odds could set the tone for the night.
I Can Doosit's exceptional pacing stablemate Smolda has opened at $1.65 for the Franklin Cup, incredible considering the group two event will be only his second ever from a standing start and he has drawn trickily at barrier one on the 10m mark.