This preview may sound reasonably familiar - Kym's Boy looking to win a maiden race at Forbury Park. For it was almost 11 months ago when the son of McArdle made his debut at Forbury Park.
With his breeding - the fourth foal out of 2001 New Zealand Trotting Cup victor Kym's Girl and a half-brother to talented mare Here We Go Again - the confidence was solid about the 3yr-old's chances in his first run last August.
But he had to settle for second that night. A fifth at Timaru in September followed before he was put aside for a spell.
He returned with two tidy thirds at Blenheim last month and his Burnham trainer, Jamie Gameson, hopes the first win is not too far around the corner - maybe even in race 1 tonight.
Gameson admitted he expected the first win to be in the bag by now, but hopes the time in the paddock at the start of this year might have helped.
''He probably didn't improve as much as he should have, but he seems to be going pretty good at the moment,'' Gameson said.
''He's not really big but he's got a lot of speed.''
Gameson was quite pleased with Kym's Boy's two thirds at Blenheim behind Donegal Jimmy Dave and This Aint Tennessee respectively. Both 2300m mobile paces were run in quick time for the maiden grade.
''They were pretty strong maidens up there this year,'' he said.
''We were happy with him at Blenheim and he's had a wee freshen-up.''
Gameson highlighted the Kirk Larsen-trained Agent Three, drawn immediately inside Kym's Boy in barrier 1, as his major rival.
''We'll lob behind the best one in the field.
''If we can trail him the whole way or vice versa, it's probably a case of who wins.''
Kym's Boy's manners are largely in order - a far cry from Continental Lover (race 2), who has failed to trot the journey in his last five runs.
''He's been perfect and then he's just been getting it wrong lately,'' Gameson said.
''If he trots all the way, he's thereabouts. He's just going through that stage that some trotters do every now and then. His work is good at home.
The suggestion by then-driver Blair Orange to move the Sundon gelding to the unruly mark almost worked last week, and he remains there tonight.
''Blair thought he'd be better there and he got away at Addington the other night before he just galloped [after 300m] for some reason.''
Punters can forget about Doves Veecee's failure at Oamaru, which was gear-related.
''One of his [hopple] shorteners came out and wrapped around his leg, so he just galloped away.
The Washington VC 4yr-old will start from barrier 6 in the junior drivers' race after Jennalee was scratched. Gameson expects driver Cynthia Bourke will press forward, although she may not have a choice.
''He's a funny horse to drive. He likes going forward - you've just got to go with him and hope that he gets in quite soon.''
Gameson's other runner Pacific Jean (race 4) should be up near the pace and is a first-four chance at worst, he said.
