KEY POINTS:
Ardmore trainer Stephen McKee could look back on today's Ruakaka meeting as the critical turning point of his first solo season.
Just six scalps adrift of premiership leader Mark Walker with five weeks to go, McKee knows that if he has any hope of clawing his way back
into title contention this is the day he's going to do it.
"I'd have to win two or three tomorrow [Wednesday] to be some sort of chance in the premiership," concedes McKee, whose 73-win tally far outstrips his pre-season expectations.
"I was only two behind Mark two weeks ago, and then he won five in the space of a week."
Of all his big win hopes today, leading 2-year-old fancy Mufhasa should have McKee yelling the loudest on a day his main premiership rival has chosen to stay at home.
The Pentire gelding is not only running in the cards feature, the $30,000 Storm Creek 1200, he's also the only contender left for a $100,000 bonus.
Mufhasa was an impressive winner of the first leg of the Whangarei Racing Club's Triple Crown series, which culminates with the final, the Northland Breeders Stakes on July 14.
McKee admits he was surprised a little by Mufhasa's debut success last month.
He rates the horse highly but felt he could struggle to keep up over 1000m at race pace on a dead surface.
Yet rider Craig Grylls had Mufhasa on the speed from the jump and comfortably ran down tearaway Blue Beat with something to spare.
With an extra 200m to run today, a better draw and the experience behind him, McKee is a lot more bullish this time.
"There's a couple in there who know a bit more than the ones he met last time," said McKee.
"But he has a better draw this time and if he's taken natural improvement like I think he has, he should be hard to beat.
"He looks quite exciting at this stage, and keeps stepping up," said McKee.
Stablemates Fun Spoiler (race four), Show Lad (race eight) and Star of Nero (race 10) shape as McKee's best remaining premiership ammo.
Fun Spoiler got squeezed out of contention last time out when second at Ruakaka on May 30, yet still powered home from an impossible position to get within a length of winner Yetanuthahoarse.
The former Walker-trained Show Lad steps up in grade from his last-start win here against R70 rivals, but his work recently suggests a graduation party.
McKee is also confident of a big run from Star of Nero, who was a certainty beaten on the same course last month.
"He should have won last time really," said McKee.
"He was jammed in behind the winner's bum and couldn't get out. He should be hard to roll."
On a day when locals invariably strike, the Donna and Dean Logan/Chris Gibbs partnership is the other stable to follow today.
Their promising maidens Benzine (race two) and Cha Cha Char (race seven) are just two standout hopes among a 23-strong tidal wave of navy blue and turquoise chequers.