Classy youngsters Princess Tiffany and Ultimate Sniper come up against home-town favourites Eamon Maguire and Majestic Man and northerners Speeding Spur and Havtime in the best Otago-owned horse category.
Bethany, the dam of Lazarus; One Over Kenny, the dam of Ultimate Stride; and Foreal, the dam of Field Marshal, square off with 100-win producer Fleet's Pocket in the broodmare excellence category.
Each of those broodmare's owners - Gavin Chin, Lex and Heather Williams and Syd and Shona Brown - are finalists for Otago breeder of the year alongside Archie Affleck.
Winners of the breeding awards and the Otago horse of the year will be announced at a gala evening at Forbury Park on September 14.
A massive total of 23 titles will be awarded in age-group trotting and pacing and training and driving categories.
Winners of the age-group trotting and pacing awards will be eligible to be crowned Otago's horse of the year.
Big-race performers Cracker Hill, Ultimate Stride, Majestic Man and Jess Jaccka look to be some of the strongest contenders for the overall title.
More than one significant contribution award will be given to industry members.
Thoroughbred training great Dave O'Sullivan will be the guest speaker on the night.
Two award contenders could add group 1 wins to their resumes this weekend.
However, if Ultimate Stride, Liberty Stride and Princess Tiffany win Australasian Breeders Crown titles their victories will count towards next year's awards as they will have come after the conclusion of the past New Zealand harness racing season.
Ultimate Stride is the $1.65 favourite with Australian bookmakers to win the 2yr-old male trotting final of the Breeders Crown at Melton on Saturday.
The Phil Williamson-trained blueblood, who has drawn barrier 6, will be driven by Anthony Butt.
Stablemate Liberty Stride, who starts from the unruly, is the $2.80 favourite for the 3yo trotting fillies' final.
Princess Tiffany is a red-hot $1.15 favourite to win the 3yr-old pacing fillies final for trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, although neither of them will drive the Art Major pacer.
Sydney reinsman Luke McCarthy, who drove Princess Tiffany in the heats and semifinals of the series. will continue his association with her.
