Oamaru trainer Phil Williamson does not want to see Ultimate Stride's good draw go to waste at the Harness Jewels at Addington tomorrow.
Williamson and son, Nathan, will attempt to add a third Harness Jewels title to their the two wins with Springbank Richard.
The chances of the father and son duo claiming a third Harness Jewels win got a huge boost when the 2yr-old drew barrier 4.
The Williamsons plan to make full use of that handy alley.
"With the front row draw, we will definitely be capitalising,'' Williamson said.
"He will definitely be going forward, that is a certainty, and hopefully it is forward trotting.
"If it is, I believe he is hard to beat.''
Ultimate Stride showed he had the gate speed to lead and dominate many of his Jewels rivals when he won the Yearling Sales Series final at Addington last month.
The blueblood son of Love You and One Over Kenny could not back up that performance when he galloped out of the Sires Stakes Series final in his last start, later in the month.
The Williamson camp has attributed that mistake to the horse drawing one of the second row spots.
"We are not ones for making too many excuses. He probably shouldn't have done it.
"He has had a bit of a rev-up in his races, in the fact he has been used a bit, and that has made him a bit keen early.''
Ultimate Stride had shown good manners in all of his prior starts, and Williamson is confident the horse has the ringcraft to bounce straight back from his last-start mistake with a more polished effort tomorrow.
"Everything is pretty good on that count,'' Williamson said.
"I am pretty happy with his all around game.
"Everything is well and his work is pretty good and he is a quality horse.
"So, we will be making no excuses and I expect him to be pretty tough to beat.''
Williamson has been able to keep a particularly close eye on one of Ultimate Stride's main rivals in preparation for the 2yr-old Emerald.
His son, Brad, trains and drives Cracker Hill, who starts from barrier 6.
Though bookmakers do not rate Cracker Hill a huge threat to Ultimate Stride, or the favourite Tailored Elegance, Williamson does.
"We have worked together the whole way through and there has never been much between them.
"He is a very nice horse, Cracker Hill, and I think he will be a very good chance.''
Phil and Brad will go from rivals to partners when they combine with Majestic Man in the 4yr-old Ruby.
Majestic Man performed admirably at the recent Rowe Cup carnival behind his main rival Sundees Sun, despite having little luck in running.
"He certainly went great races in both starts, and had the rub of the green gone his way he might have been able to push Sundees Sun.''
Luck was against Majestic Man again when he was handed a second-row draw in tomorrow's race.
His two on the second row barrier is likely to place him well behind Sundees Sun, who has a perfect spot on barrier 4, in the early stages.
"I don't like [the draw] one bit, but you have just got to deal with that.
"It could work out to be a good draw, depending on how the race is run. Who knows?''
Majestic Man has shown no signs of fatigue since his Auckland trip to tackle the ANZAC and Rowe Cups.
Williamson said the horse had gone in the opposite direction.
"Majestic Man has been thriving and his work has been great.
"He is right in the zone for [tomorrow].
"I couldn't be happier with both of them.
"We will have no excuses on their well being and how their health and fitness is.''
