KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's most prized race record - the national mile pacing mark - is in danger at Alexandra Park tonight.
That is the opinion of trainer Paul Kerr after driving Pay Me Christian in a sizzling final workout on Wednesday morning.
Pay Me Christian is the likely favourite for the $100,000 Taylor Mile after drawing to lead at barrier two and when Kerr says he is ready to test the 1:53.5 national race record, he is speaking from experience.
Pay Me Christian paced an Australasian race record 1:52.8 when winning the Newcastle Mile in November and his work on Wednesday mirrored his final workout before the Newcastle race.
"He feels exactly the same as he did before Newcastle," said Kerr.
"He is going into this race at his absolute peak and if it is a good night I think he can test the national record."
While he could endanger the record tonight the only thing Pay Me Christian has previously threatened at Alexandra Park is punter's sanity.
He has had four starts there for four unplaced defeats but Kerr says that is not an issue heading into tonight's sprint.
"He was knocked down in one, galloped in another and wasn't 100 per cent fit the other two times.
"But he likes the track and is ready this time. There will be no excuses."
No New Zealand harness race is decided more by barrier draws than the Taylor Mile and Kerr was beaming after Pay Me Christian drew barrier two.
"That is exactly what I wanted and I think everybody knows what we will be trying to do.
"He will go to the front and then try and run the sprint out of the other horses."
While tonight's field contains come exceptional 4-year-olds they face an unenviable task trying to catch Pay Me Christian if he leads.
While the race may lack the early pressure to turn into a 1:53 mile, Pay Me Christian is a natural sprinter who could reel off four 400m sectionals of 28.5sec each.
That makes it very hard for those behind him to get close enough to challenge as they would need to produce sub 28sec 400m sectionals wide on the track to make ground.
While it is not impossible, if Pay Me Christian doesn't hit the wall in the home straight it will take a very special horse to beat him.
Kerr says whoever sits on Pay Me Christian's back will be the horse to beat and that looks almost certain to be Classic Line, who becomes an each-way chance.
Most sprint races are won by the leader or trailer, with that percentage increasing higher up in the classes.
The biggest danger to Pay Me Christian would be if one of his rivals attempted to cross him early, firing the stallion up and setting up the sort of electric pace that may leave him vulnerable in the last 100m.
That would play into the hooves of Awesome Armbro, Divisive and Monkey King.
Awesome Armbro has been a huge improver this season and thrilled trainer Geoff Small with a sizzling workout on Monday morning. From barrier four he can win.
Divisive's trainer Peter Rixon also has plenty of reason to be happy after the Australian star shone on his Alexandra Park debut last Friday.
He will be a better horse for that experience but will need some luck from barrier six. It would not totally surprise though to see Rixon head forward at the start and with his gate speed he could be close to the pace.
Monkey King is as good as the other big names but barrier eight is potentially a horror draw. If he gets a cart into the race he could still win but his chances rely so much on the actions of those in front of him.
Taylor Mile
* Pay Me Christian is drawn to dominate the $100,000 Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park tonight.
* The 4-year-old already holds the Australian mile race record.
* His trainer Paul Kerr says he is back to that sort of form.
* Tonight's meeting plays host to some of the biggest names in harness racing.
