Main danger Carinya has made just six raceday appearances over fences, one unplaced run over hurdles and four wins from five steeplechase starts.
This is a contest between a widely experienced hurdler in Sea King and Carinya, who has won the four over the bigger fences to Sea King's one attempt for a third.
Another contrast is Sea King is a veteran at rising 9 and Carinya is just 5, a baby as steeplechasers go.
Sea King's third came in the Grand National Steeples in Melbourne two weeks after his National Hurdles victory. That was over much smaller fences than he faces tomorrow, but he will have been extensively schooled at his new game.
Sea King will be ridden by Matthew Gillies, whose two previous attempts on the veteran resulted in a second in last year's Waikato Hurdles followed by victory in the Ken Browne Hurdle at Ellerslie.
Frost says she doesn't know what to expect of the Kevin Myers-trained Sea King in his first raceday look at the big fences.
"I suppose the idea would be to get a tuck in behind something going into the first couple of fences to make sure he doesn't jump them too high.
"I don't know, I train my own horses and leave the training of Sea King to Kevin."
Frost gave Sea King to Myers to train because she found him too difficult. "He's not a nice horse," she says. Maybe not to train, but certainly to own he is.
Paul Nelson's Yorkie has to rate highly. He led them up in the steeplechase at Hastings recently and finished second to a promising type in Roodyvoo. He has a consistent record and has been placed on this course.
John Wheeler's representative, Racquetor, is a 5-year-old and has won one of his four steeplechase starts. He will have a high-profile owner cheering him on - Sir Patrick Hogan, more used to encouraging Derby horses over the line - has a share.
Racquetor's rider lost his whip when he finished second to Carinya here a couple of weeks ago, and even though it probably made little difference, it would not have helped.
Harvey Wilson sums up tomorrow's $50,000 Porritt Sand Waikato Hurdles perfectly: "I've never seen a more even field."
Wilson saddles up Venerate, who was the beaten favourite behind a leading rival again, Prologue, when the pair met at Te Rapa a couple of weeks ago.
Prologue won comfortably with Venerate third, but the latter looks the improver out of the race. He looked to be travelling like the winner approaching the home turn, but wilted slightly over the final stages.
"I thought he looked a bit pretty [slightly overweight] in the birdcage before the race and I'd like to think he's improved," said Wilson.
"They ran a track record in the hurdle race just before his and they broke it again in their race." Wilson believes a wetter track this time will suit Venerate better.
Prologue will also not mind a wetter track. He was strong in the closing stages of his most recent win and is a horse who should continue to improve.
The introduction of Just Got Home makes this an interesting race. He was the emerging hurdler of last winter with several fine performances, probably none better than his victory in the Wellington Hurdles.
He has crept up in the weights and will have to carry clear topweight of 69kg, but he has a touch of jumping class ahead of most in this game.
Don't sleep in if you want to watch this race. Because of the 11-race programme the Waikato Hurdles is being run at 11.05am - the first kicks off at 10.35am.
Punting pointers
Solar system force: Galaktika (R11, Te Rapa). In great form and meets one of the slightly easier fields on the day.
Course specialist: Spin Doctor (R7, Te Rapa). Didn't get all the breaks last start. Finished well in that and apprentice allowance a big help again.
Best each-way: Augusta National (R6, Te Rapa). Bolted in last time at Te Rapa. Conditions should suit.
