Real Deal Yankee's Rowe Cup campaign goes on the line at Alexandra Park tonight.
The high-class Cambridge 5-year-old comes in well to tonight's Dawn Balle Memorial, a feature race named in the honour of the late mother of top trotting trainer Derek Balle.
While Balle has his own winning chance
in the race in Lleyton H, he and his rivals will be flat catching Real Deal Yankee if the speedster takes advantage of his front-line draw.
And that is exactly what driver Todd Mitchell has planned.
Under the unusual conditions of the race, Real Deal Yankee gets into the field off the front alongside rivals assessed as four-win trotters even though he is assessed as a five-win horse.
"I think we have to make use of that," said Mitchell.
"He is the type of horse who can be driven a few different ways but being off the front I think we need to make them try and catch us."
Real Deal Yankee will need winning form shortly if he is to be guaranteed a start in the $250,000 Rowe Cup on May 7.
He looked a great chance of getting that win last Friday but had to trot a fast 3:28.5 just to finish second to Meander With Earl in a weaker race.
"It was a good run because 3:28 is fast for any grade," says Mitchell.
"If he can go that quick again this week he will take a lot of catching."
Northern trotting's Mr Consistency, Isa Good Looking, is a logical threat tonight, while Mon Star is an interesting newcomer to Alexandra Park and with Lleyton H adds to the winning chances.
Mitchell has foregone one of his better drives earlier in the night by jumping off talented southern filly Bettor Move It to partner debutante Christian Miracle in race two.
"She is up against it on her debut but I think she is going to be a nice filly and I wanted to get on her long term. And I do a bit of driving for Mike [Berger, trainer]."
Mitchell also rates his own stable representatives Fireinthehole (race five) and Artistic Rulz (race eight) as each-way chances.
"Fireinthehole could be helped by the scratchings and it is not a strong field for Alexandra Park, so he has a chance."
