KEY POINTS:
Align To Infinity's presence at Avondale today highlights what a fine line trainers often tread along the road to the Mercedes Derby.
One week they're handling the most talked about candidate for the $700,000 group one on March 1.
The next they're just hoping to salvage some respect
with a midweek maiden win.
That's where the Ruakaka training trio of Dean and Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs find themselves with their talented Align gelding today.
"His biggest problem is that he's a bit immature still," said Dean Logan.
"He showed a huge amount early on but he's just going through a growing stage."
The standout chance in today's $50,000 Pick Six chase debuted last July with a close-up third in the listed Northland Breeders Stakes.
He followed up with another third against race winners in his first appearance at three, and announced his Derby intentions with a late-closing fourth at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.
But things haven't quite gone to plan in his last two outings; for eighth over 1600m at Ellerslie on January 12, and a disappointing sixth over 2000m at Te Rapa on February 2.
"It was a bit better run last time, but it was a run of a horse who isn't quite there yet," said Logan.
"We just want to get a win under his belt, and then put him aside and come back later on, possibly for Brisbane. But we may not start to get serious with him until he's four."
Speedster Jazzella now heads the Logan/Gibbs group-race assault on Derby day in the weight-for-age Darley Plate (1200m).
Meanwhile, Logan is hoping another stable flyer, Sweet Symphony, can capitalise on her inside gate in race two today.
The promising 3-year-old filly hasn't had things go her way lately, but he's confident she has the talent to break through at short notice with the right run.
Tabulate (race four) looks the only Pick Six anchor on a tricky card.
The Richard and Chris Otto trained 3-year-old only needs a change of luck to break through in just his sixth start.
Quizzical (race six) is another potential cost-saver.
The lightly raced Stephen McKee-trained mare covered a ton of extra ground when closing late for fourth to The Skull over the same trip here on February 6.
Race rival Pin Power finished second in the same race, but he had all favours from the perfect trail.
Logan expects a cheeky race from staying mare Ventata, who resumes, but concedes she's better suited to more ground.