It seems everybody now believes what Brent Mangos has known for weeks - Gotta Go Harmony is the horse to beat in her division of the Jewels today.
The northern filly had become the forgotten filly of her crop a month ago when she struggled as rivals like Flying Pocketlands
and Yankee Dream emerged.
But Gotta Go Harmony indicated she was nearing peak again with a brave fourth at Alexandra Park last start, after being forced four wide in the middle stages.
That performance, coupled with a front-line draw today, was enough to convince driver Mangos she can win.
And punters now agree, with Gotta Go Harmony being backed into $3.80 from her opening quote of $10 last week.
Those who took the $10 will be feeling even better as Our Princess Royal, who was drawn inside her and could have held her out for the lead, was scratched yesterday.
"I think she will be very hard to beat," says Mangos of Gotta Go Harmony.
"She was very good when unlucky at Alexandra Park last start and it sounds like she has trained on well.
"I think she can get handy from the draw and they will need to be good to run her down."
Mangos also holds a strong hand in the day's greatest raffle, the $100,000 2-year-old trot. While The Fiery Ginga should win, Mangos has a good winning hope with Tuhimata Glass.
Tuhimata Glass went close to national record time when beating older trotters at Cambridge last month and appears to have natural speed and manners, a crucial combination in juvenile trots.
He is owned by Mangos's stable foreman Hayden Cullen, who will take the reins behind the second favourite.
"I think he has a good chance because he is working very well.
"Both of my horses are doing well," said Mangos, who also trains Wild Isis in that division.
