Farrier come trainer Richard Aubrey has been waiting his entire career for tonight.
Because for the first time in his 20 years in harness racing, Aubrey can see the group one mountain top.
The mountain in question is the $150,000 Sires' Stakes Championship at Alexandra Park and Aubrey's exciting three-year-oldfilly Wainui Creek has emerged as potentially the horse to beat.
She has looked an elite-level talent over the last six weeks and was a brave third on her northern debut two weeks ago.
Aubrey, who shoes horses for a job and trains horses on the side with his wife Julia, is adamant Wainui Creek will be better than last start and the filly has already cleared the toughest of obstacles.
Because in most pacing group ones trainers like Aubrey can only dream of beating the All Stars but after Princess Tiffany went sore, the country's leading stable doesn't have a runner in tonight's filly's feature.
"Obviously that is a huge help," says the Cantabrian.
"And I think we have a real chance. She was as good as any filly in the race when she ran third here sitting parked last start and she was still big in condition.
"She is better now and at her peak. I've never won a race worth more than about $40,000 before so yes, I'm a bit excited."
Wainui Creek's best chance of winning would be if early favourite Chevron Supreme got crossed from the ace, meaning last-start winner Belle Of Montana wasn't guaranteed the trail. If Belle Of Montana gets that trip she becomes the filly to beat.
But for Aubrey and Wainui Creek it is a case of so far, so good.
