Valmagne stands out from the rest after a glance at the Forbury Park fields tonight - simply because of his next assignments.
The Josh Kennett-trained trotter will start off 30m tonight before taking his place in the group 1 trotting free-for-all at Addington on Tuesday and the group 1 Dominion Trot next Friday.
You will not find any other next-up group 1 horses at Forbury Park tonight, but Kennett said the 8yr-old simply needs the racing.
All 83 of the gelding's starts have been without a three-month break, but Valmagne is his own worst enemy if Kennett spaces out his runs too far.
''He's just the sort of horse who thrives on it,'' Kennett said.
''If we didn't go to Forbury, we would be worried he was a bit fresh going to Addington. He's a bit nervy on the float - he will get there and be hot and sweaty and shaking.
''It probably would be better if you were able to race him once a fortnight, but we've done that sort of thing, and he gets a bit silly on it.''
Almost a year has gone by since Valmagne's last win - at Geraldine on November - but his recent form has been outstanding, running third to Quite A Moment three starts back, third to Pegasus Dream at Forbury Park on October 25 and second to Waterloo Sunset on Friday.
That form was franked when Waterloo Sunset and Quite A Moment ran second and third to Stent at Kaikoura on Monday.
Add in a drop back from c5 to c4 after 10 winless starts, and Valmagne's 30m handicap looks well within his scope against a field which is lacking depth.
''That [drop back] will give him another 10 metres closer to them, and it's not an overly strong field,'' he said.
''If he goes as good as his last three runs, he would have to go near enough.
''As long as he does things right, which he seems to be doing all the time now, he's a winning chance with the right sort of trip.''
Kennett had little luck with the barrier draw for the free-for-all on Tuesday, ending up with barrier 7, well outside the warm favourites Monbet (two) and One Over Da Moon (one).
''I'd say we'd sit back, hope they go hard and then run on, but it's hard to go back over 1950m - we'll have a crack anyway. Stent and Master Lavros aren't there.''
Valmagne will then head to the Dominion on Show Day - a meeting he won at last year.
''He likes the two miles [3200m], but obviously with the field, the best ones are there,'' Kennett said.
''We would be rapt with fifth or sixth. We just thought you would have a crack - you never know, it can be a lottery.
''He can certainly keep up with them. He showed that at New Year's time. He just doesn't have that X-factor.''
The Roxburgh stable of Geoff and Jude Knight will not have any runners at Forbury Park tonight as their team recovers from a stomach bug.
Tips from the talent
• Amber Hoffman: Trick Star (Race 4, No 9)
• Matthew Williamson: Em Ay (Race 1, No 5)
• Brad Williamson: Ossessione (Race 1, No 6)
• Craig Ferguson: First Flight In (Race 5, No 3)
• Tony Barron: Queen Kenny (Race 4, No 8)
