BRIANNA
Race 3
For as long as horses have been coming to race at Roxburgh, early manners and settling handy have paid big dividends.
It's a tight-turning track and part of the challenge in doing your picks is to calculate who has the best chance of landing handy.
Brianna is generally a brilliant beginner who puts herself immediately on the speed.
She's led in both of her starts in her holiday stint in Otago and Southland.
If she can do so again she would have to rate a strong winning hope in what looks like a suitable field.
DIDN'T DI
Race 2
Those with even a vague interest in harness racing should know the Phil Williamson stable is one to follow on the Central Otago summer harness racing circuit.
The master trainer put on a clinic at Omakau yesterday, producing the first four runners home in one race.
That form looks set to continue for the trainer in the opener at Roxburgh.
Didn't Di brings strong trial form to his debut and he's sure to be primed to run a big race.
Trust in the colours!
FLYING BIRD
Race 11
With queries around some of the key horses in Roxburgh's finale, Flying Bird looks a reliable option.
The mare draws in the workable barrier 5 spot and comes into her assignment after an excellent fifth at Ascot Park.
After getting back from a tricky draw, she made ground from an impossible winning spot, chasing home the very impressive Lakelsa in the process.
The best-performed horse in race 11, Song Sung Blue, is drawn in a tricky spot in barrier 8, while another bright hope in Ellie Franco must contend with a wide draw in barrier 7.
That looks to give Flying Bird the chance to hold an advantage over them in the running, which could prove crucial.
ONE FOR JAY
Race 6
One For Jay brings the best kind of form to a lower-grade fillies and mares' contest.
In her last start at Invercargill she was beaten home by two very talented fillies in Spicey Crunch and Captains Mistress.
Either of those would put lengths on their opposition in this race.
From barrier 1, One For Jay looks set to get the best kind of run and, with it, she should prove hard to beat.
RUSH
Race 9
Getting a crucial head-start on many of her main rivals looks a key ingredient for Rush in Roxburgh's feature trot.
The mare went down fighting in her last-start second in the Gore Trotting Cup and was only nabbed late by Majestic Love, who ran a nice race at Omakau yesterday.
Rush found the lead early in that race and if she can do the same again at Roxburgh, she should take some catching.
