Most eyes will be firmly focused on the Manukau Stadium 527m six-trap at 9.10 tonight from where champion Little Mother will begin in her quest for a record-setting three consecutive $75,000 MTA Auckland Cup victories.
She will deservedly start as a hot favourite in what would be her sixth groupone win in a career that spans 117 races, 77 wins, 24 placings and an amazing $349,226 in stake earnings.
So how has Little Mother fared since her convincing 30.27sec heat victory?
"Everything is okay with her - she's all ready to go. We are hoping she can come out of the boxes swiftly and from there her pace and her strength over the later stages can carry her through," said trainer Lisa Ahern.
Little Mother will need to ping away smartly, as there is plenty of early pace drawn inside her. Included is her kennelmate, the up-and-coming star Bigtime Kinvara, who posted the fastest heat time at 30.24sec.
The David Schofield-trained Manukau track specialist Have A Yap was brave when going under to Little Mother in her cup heat after resuming from a seasonal spell.
"She's had a few hard gallops up our sand drag strip and that, coupled with her heat run has topped her off nicely for the final," said the trainer's father, Denis Schofield.
The nation's leading trainer, John McInerney, treks up from Canterbury with the talented Another Dollar.
He impressed during his heat track debut outing when quickly closing to within a head of Bigtime Kinvara.
"We were rapt with his heat gallop, considering it was his first look at the track. We expect natural improvement from him after that," said Jonathon McInerney on behalf of the kennel.
