The safest bet on offer at Ellerslie tomorrow is that Black Panther will not be ridden hard early in the 3-year-olds race.
Black Panther will probably start favourite in the $20,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance and he will be allowed to drop out the back of the field early if
that's where he feels comfortable.
Trainer Richard Yuill says the stable has learned from experience with the talented 3-year-old.
"We undid him at Te Rapa on Labour Day by hunting him up early to be handy."
Black Panther faded to finish ninth that day behind Pulcinella, and Yuill and rider Grant Cooksley decided to have him ridden in the reverse manner at Tauranga at his last start.
"That wasn't a guide because he got stopped in his tracks at least twice in the home straight," said Yuill.
The Pukekohe trainer said Black Panther had trained on terrifically well, and he expects him to be tough to beat.
Yuill also expects grand old campaigner Sedecrem to go just as well in the $50,000 Great Northern Challenge Stakes.
"He's having his fourth run this time back and it's taken this long to get him to where he needs to be physically.
"He'll produce something close to his best this time."
Black Panther will have to outrun a remarkable depth of emerging talent.
Among them is Congaline, who has looked very promising from just two starts from Mark Walker's stable, and Laughing Stock, who showed absolute disdain for the opposition when winning in maiden grade at Te Awamutu last start.
There are plenty of surprise outside those three.
