"Rod is perfectly placed in the one as he has both pace and strength," advised Brendon Cole.
Bigtime Lilah dictated the pace throughout in her heat from the one trap. She delivered a bold freewheeling 30.29s gallop.
She is also strong and Cole isn't concerned about her five trap draw, as he explains.
"She loves racing from the middle traps and I expect her to contest the early pace. She is also strong during the run home."
Sub Eighteen also controlled the pace when he delivered his 30.57s heat win. This bloke must adopt those same pace-making tactics.
"He's at his best when he's racing on the pace and he must use that tactic in the final," suggested Cole.
Cheese And Chalk and Bigtime Alfie were heat second place getters for Cole.
"All five of our runners came through their heats all good and are ready to go on Friday," said Cole.
Karen Walsh will return from her Tirau-based kennels with her 30.50s heat winner Thrilling Talk.
He used strong railing tactics to secure his heat win.
"I'm happy with his draw [trap three], so hopefully he'll take up a forward early position.
"He has come through his heat really well," said Walsh.
Diddilee doesn't require any introduction when it comes to Group 1 racing – he already has secured two of those elite titles this season for his conditioner Angela Turnwald.
"I believe he'll be better for his heat run after having been reacquainted with Hatrick," said the trainer's partner Paul Freeman.
"It doesn't really matter where he draws [trap six] – he's the strongest in the field so it depends on how far in front the others are early on."
The drawn field is completed by the trap eight drawn Dave and Jean Fahey-prepared Go Glow.
Dave Fahey was rather blunt about her prospects when asked about their known railing chaser.
"You can forget her from out there – she will need a miracle from that trap."
