Most would see a win by The Mighty Machine in Saturday's $50,000 TV Guide Hurdles at Ellerslie as something of a David and Goliath eclipse.
Sandy Dravitzki gets a bit defensive about that.
"I have been training for 13 years so I know what I'm doing," she says with abig smile and more than a little defiance.
But even Dravitzki can't ignore The Mighty Machine's lack of size.
"I keep thinking how small he is, but when I do, I like to think back to horses like Sir Barton and Kanamint who weren't very big and they were good. But he is particularly small, isn't he?"
Tiny or not, The Mighty Machine threw in the effort of a real improver in the Dunstan Waikato Hurdles last start and has improved since, says his New Plymouth trainer.
"He's actually improved a ton. Jumping is all about fitness. It's about their breathing and their recovery rate and everything is spot on with this horse."
Alby MacDonald says the TV Guide Hurdles topweight Bodle is also greatly improved.
"He's slightly fitter than when he ran third in the race last year."
Both Central Districts trainers see the Waikato Hurdles 1-2 finishers Crojack and Smart Hunter as the dangers.
* The field for Monday's Great Northern Steeplechase.-
2.45: MERCEDES GREAT NORTHERN STEEPLECHASE of $100,000, opn stp, no allowances, 6400m.- Our Jonty (14) 64, Drops O'Rain (12), Royal Ways (7) 63.5, Boon's Boy (6) 62, All Rhythm (5), Willie Tee (3) 61, Fair Brother (8), Just Red (10), Lost In The Rain (13) 60.5, Arab Hunter (11), Gunnedah (4), In Ore Out (2), Sel Tee (1), Wanderlust (9) 60.
