Three defeats on the trot has done nothing to dent Canterbury trainer Mark Jones' confidence with Shezoneoftheboyz at Cambridge tonight.
The New Zealand Trotting Derby winner looked the clear standout of her crop six weeks ago but has since burned punters three times in a row, twice after galloping from
second-line draws.
She faces another of those in the $25,000 Trotting Stakes at Cambridge tonight but Jones says his filly is still good enough to pay punters back.
"I still think she can win, even though it won't be easy," said Jones.
"Maybe the gap between her and a couple of her rivals has closed and horses like Kahdon and Miami H have caught up a bit.
"But I'd still like to think all things being equal she is the best of them."
Kahdon, who completed the feature race 3-year-old double at the Rowe Cup meeting, has been allowed to miss tonight's race, meaning Shezoneoftheboyz and Miami H will dominate betting, with the latter set to start favourite.
He pushed Kahdon close in the Northern Derby last Friday and has the draw to go forward and try and lead tonight.
"It looks his [Miami H] race to lose because he should be able to get an uncontested lead," says Jones.
"But I think the return to left-handed racing might help my filly and she is a good stayer so I will be off around them pretty quickly.
"My best chance of beating him will be sitting parked and making it a staying contest, so that might be the way we have to go."
The absence of Kahdon, who will not be vetted for a possible sale to Australia until next week, opens the race up and Tuhimata Glass could be value.
He has been disappointing on the whole this term but his seventh in the Derby last Friday was a strong performance and he may be returning to his best. Chocolate Brownie and Emma Hamilton add to a good field.
The other highlight tonight is the battle for spots in the Harness Jewels, with horses having just 10 more says to earn the stakes which qualify them for the June 5 extravaganza.
The best Jewels battle should be between Jarcullembra and God Send in race five, in which they take on the older pacers, with Jarcullembra looking to have a touch of class.
