KEY POINTS:
On a day when the Pick6 is about the only inspiring thing on the card, Keith Opie could turn out to be your best friend.
The Te Aroha trainer has four entries across the last six races at Tauranga today, with three of those - Llandafydd (race six),
Runarda (race seven) and Kings Of Leon (race nine) - all must-includes on any serious multiple ticket.
The latter Opie rates close to an anchor.
An impressive maiden winner at Te Aroha in his first start for the stable, Kings Of Leon was confidently tipped by Opie to repeat that effort next time out at Te Rapa in R76 grade.
The 4-year-old led inside the last 200m, but was run down late by the fast-finishing Shariat's On Fire, a run Opie admits was initially disappointing.
"But then I had a good look at it again and that other horse could be a very nice horse later on," said Opie.
"Kings Of Leon has gone on the right way since and I'm very happy with him. He just keeps coming back and asking for more."
Opie says the Lowell gelding is also learning more each time he runs.
Rider Michelle Wenn said Kings Of Leon still switched off when leading at Te Rapa.
But it was a lengths better effort than his maiden win at Te Aroha when he gave Wenn a torrid time for most of the straight.
"He didn't have a clue at Te Aroha; he just didn't know where he was supposed to be going," said Opie.
Opie's last start winner Runarda is also still learning the ropes.
But he showed enough at Te Rapa to suggest he could test favourite Bloody Mary.
"He didn't beat much at Te Rapa but you can only win, and he won really well.
"He's still green as grass, but Lisa [Cropp] gave me some good vibes. After his Te Aroha run [for second] she got off and said he was a handy horse and we should have a lot of fun with him."
At the start of the season Opie thought he'd be toasting Llandafydd the most by this stage of the year.
He rated him his best maiden in his stable, even above Indikator, now a favourite for the $40,000 3-year-old event at the Opunake meeting on Saturday.
"I expected that first run [a close second to Master Green] but then he hurt himself and has been very disappointing since," said Opie.
"Reese [Jones] said he swallowed his tongue last time at Tauranga and started to stagger and make a terrible noise.
"We'll put a tongue tie and blinkers on him tomorrow [Wednesday] to see if that sharpens him up," said the trainer.
Opie saddles one other runner today, Arrogant Heights (race seven), but the trainer says the recent 1150m trial winner - who is without a raceday victory for almost two years - is warming up for a jumping career.