Last Friday reigning Otago horse of the year Eamon Maguire was an outside hope with everything against him in the group 1 Taylor Mile.
This week he is the perfectly poised early favourite to win the New Zealand Messenger Championship at Alexandra Park.
The electric little pacer's epic rise in popularity comes via his brilliant performance in last week's 1700m feature.
Eamon Maguire had tongues wagging when he charged home from nearly last on the home turn to run second behind AG's White Socks.
The eye-catching performance was not missed by bookmakers who had the former Westwood Beach pacer at $3 odds in early markets for tonight's race.
But it may not only his brilliant runner-up effort, or his new blue Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen colours that signal Eamon Maguire should be a force to be reckoned with in tonight.
Instead, it is his staying prowess that brings the horse in contention.
And there is no better example of that than his third behind injured superstars Vincent and Ultimate Machete in last year's New Zealand Derby.
"Though there had never been too much of him he has always been a good stayer," part-owner and former trainer Graeme Anderson said.
"He won the Southern Supremacy Stakes [over 2700m] and broke the track record sitting parked for the last 1400m, so he certainly can stay."
Although Anderson has not discussed race tactics with driver Natalie Rasmussen, he thinks there is only one choice for her to make from her horse's handy barrier 4 draw.
"He won't go back. I have no doubt that he will lead and get on the markers."
"There is no point going back in a race like that. They start coming around and you end up last again."
"That is what I would be thinking, not that I am privy to the decision."
Although the step up from 1700m to 2700m race presents a vastly different challenge for all of his rivals, it is hard to make a strong case to suggest the horses Eamon Maguire beat home could turn around their results this week.
Star Galleria and Let It Ride both had their chances to win with after leading and sitting in the one-one, respectively.
AG's White Socks was good in winning after sitting in the trail and could receive a similar run again tonight.
The scratching of Purdon and Rasmussen's star filly, Princess Tiffany, makes tonight's 2yr-old fillies' Sires Stakes Championship a very even contest.
Her stablemate, Kayla Marie, looks the second-best filly in the country but has to contend with barrier 4 on the second row in the 1700m sprint.
There is nothing even about tonight's group 1 Northern Trotting Derby. It is set to be dominated by the Purdon and Rasmussen-trained Winterfell.
