Exciting pacer The Big Boss gets another chance to show his best in the Northern Southland Summer Cup at Ascot Park today.
The Ray Faithful-trained pacer has put together a rocks or diamonds-style formline in five runs this season.
The diamonds have come in the form of Forbury Park and Invercargill wins as well as a third in the Wairio Cup.
The rocks have been a start at Addington, where The Big Boss galloped from the mobile gate, and another bungled start in the Gore Cup late last month.
Regular driver Shane Walkinshaw is willing to forgive the latter indiscretion, due to the extreme winds at Gore that day.
''The only thing I can put it down to were those really windy conditions.
''Every time we went into the headwind, he tried to boot me out of the cart in the preliminary.''
The good news for his backers in today's standing-start feature is The Big Boss actually stepped cleanly from the tapes at Gore before ''clamping up'' and then galloping.
''He stepped probably the best he has ever stepped, really.
''After 50m he galloped and once he gets into that gallop he's pretty impossible to get back into his gait, really.''
The Big Boss's condition is as encouraging as the conditions he will face in today's race.
''Ray has given him a couple of runs and he is pretty happy with the way he is working.
''With a small field, he is going to be pretty hard to beat.''
While the noted frontrunner should get every chance to find the top today, that is not necessarily his only chance of winning.
''He does like the front but he actually has a good turn of foot too, so not being a big field, I can just sit in or mosey around to the front if they are not going much.''
The Big Boss has a 30m head start on his main rival today, Costa Del Magnifico.
The 10-win stallion ran fifth in Classie Brigade's track-record run to take the group 3 Central Otago Cup.
Trainer Brent Shirley suggested race-hardened fitness was the difference between his horse and those that finished in front of him that day.
-By Jonny Turner
