Master trainer Barry Purdon should provide a logical quinella in race 5 at Alexandra Park tonight.
But which Purdon runner gets the majority share of the chocolates could be decided early on in the 1700m mobile pace.
Purdon's main stable driver, Zac Butcher, will take the reins on a stable newcomer, Major Ben, with Purdon himself sitting in behind Arden's Choice.
Butcher has been impressed by Major Ben since he arrived at Purdon's Clevedon stables after a good second behind Heaven Rocks in the 3yr-old male pacing division of the Harness Jewels last month.
"He's a pretty nice horse and he's going to do a great job,'' Butcher said.
"He's only classed as a c2 so he's in a grade when he's going to win a few more.
"But the draw is not going to help this week, especially over 1700m.''
Major Ben starts from the outside barrier in the eight-horse field, while Arden's Choice - fresh-up from a failure at the Jewels - will start from barrier 4.
Butcher's concern over the draw was exacerbated by the short 1700m trip.
"There are a few inside him who - I'm not going to say they're better horses than him - but they're going to probably get better runs,'' he said.
Major Ben had not been asked for too much in his two right-handed trials, but had done everything right leading up to his Alexandra Park debut.
"We've worked him that way the whole time at home and I made sure both trials at Pukekohe were right-handed,'' Butcher said.
"He wears a wee bit of extra gear to keep him straight but he seems good as gold. He should be ready enough for the task, but it should be a good line [on] where he's at.''
Arden's Choice had earned a brief break following the Jewels and won a trial at Pukekohe last week to signal she is ready for tonight's task.
"I think our two are probably the main two in there. At the end of the day, it comes down to the one who gets the nice run and hopefully that's me and not Barry,'' Butcher chuckled.
Meanwhile, Christen Me could be left at the mercy of Ultimate Art in the group 2 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park tomorrow night.
Christen Me has drawn the inside of the second line and will need Ultimate Art to kick up from barrier 1 - an attribute Ultimate Art showed when leading and winning in the $25,000 Mr Feelgood last week.
Canterbury-trained Nek Time has drawn nicely in barrier 4 for the $75,000 Queensland Oaks.
Dexter Dunn will again take the reins.
