Massive colt Ideal Tyson will tower above his rivals in the $125,000 group 1 Premier Suzuki Golden Slipper Stakes at the harness racing meeting at Gloucester Park on Friday night and Blythwood trainer Gary Elson is bubbling with confidence that the Victorian-bred two-year-old will prove too classy for the opposition.
Elson's confidence was boosted significantly when Ideal Tyson drew the prized No. 1 barrier in the random draw, with star filly Dodolicious favourably drawn at No. 2.
Ideal Tyson is a powerful frontrunner and Chris Voak is sure to attempt an all-the-way win, which would give Elson his second success in the rich classic after scoring with 13/4 chance Class of Tara in 2013.
For good measure Elson's runner Mister Ardee finished second to Beaudiene Boaz in the 2014 Golden Slipper.
Ideal Tyson will start a warm favourite in an event in which favourites have flopped in recent years.
Only one favourite, Western Cullen (evens) has been successful in the past 14 years.
He gave a power-packed display to sustain a spirited three wide burst to win easily from Major Catastrophe in 2011.
Elson also has smart youngsters in last-start winners Sprinter and Good Times Ahead in the field for Friday night's 2130m feature.
But he declares that Ideal Tyson is superior to those New Zealand-bred pacers.
Elson has survived some anxious moments to have Ideal Tyson and Sprinter fit for the big race.
Both were affected by a virus in mid-May after Ideal Tyson had set the pace and beaten Sprinter into second place in a 2100m event at Bunbury.
This disrupted their preparation, but Elson is extremely relieved that each two-year-old was able to resume racing last week.
Ideal Tyson was a 10/1 on favourite when he started out wide at barrier seven before surging to the front in the first lap and winning easily by three lengths from Anime at a 1.59.6 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park last Monday week.
Then Sprinter took full advantage of the No. 1 barrier when he set the pace and won convincingly by 4m from Mister Versace at a 2.0.7 rate over 2130m at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Nathan Turvey will again handle Sprinter, who has drawn somewhat awkwardly at barrier six.
Sprinter has raced eight times for five wins, two seconds and a third placing.
Ideal Tyson has had nine starts for eight wins.
His only defeat came when he was involved in an early speed battle before getting to the front and wilting late to finish fourth behind Sprinter in the $50,000 Champagne Classic at Gloucester Park on May 1.
Good Times Ahead, to be driven by Kim Young, will start from barrier two on the back line.
Young drove a well-judged race when he brought the heavily-supported Good Times Ahead home with a spirited burst to snatch victory from the pacemaker Saleahs Comand over 1823m at Narrogin on Sunday afternoon.
Good Times Ahead had enjoyed an ideal passage behind Saleahs Comand and he rated 1.58.6.
This was his first win at his fifth start.
Elson's only minor concern is that he had hoped Ideal Tyson would have had a tougher first-up run last week.
"He came in with a heart rate of 88 and I was very happy with his run, although I would have preferred that he'd had a harder run," Elson said.
"He's a good horse in front and can also perform strongly with a sit."
"He's a very good horse and I think he should win."
"However, I don't rate him as good as Class of Tara, who was an exceptional horse."
Dodolicious, owned and trained by Greg and Skye Bond, is tough, durable, pacy and versatile and she will have many admirers after scoring runaway victories on the past two Fridays nights at Gloucester Park, defeating Jasmin Amal by 16m in the group 1 Westbred Classic for fillies, rating 1.58 over the 2130m, and then excelling as a frontrunner in beating Safari Storm by 15m at a 1.58.7 rate in the 2130m Gold Bracelet.
She has had seven starts for five wins and two seconds and Ryan Warwick would dearly love to win the classic for the second time, after driving 9/1 chance Spirit of Navajo to victory over Devastating in 2005.
Greg Bond trained the 2010 winner Ohokas Bondy.
Fillies do not have a particularly good record in the Golden Slipper, with only eight being successful in the 47-year history of the event.
Winning fillies have been Sordice (1968), Omista (1971), Via Vista (1980), Mazzini Magic (1988), Whitbys Miss Penny (1990), Whitbys Merit (1998), Spirit of Navajo (2005) and Arma Xpress (2012).
Chris Lewis, who has won the Slipper a record seven times, will be in the sulky behind the speedy Ross Ashby-trained Johnny Disco, who gave a bold frontrunning display to win the group 1 Westbred Classic for colts and geldings last Friday week.
Johnny Disco's prospects slumped when he drew the outside (No. 9) on the front line.
Lewis has won the classic with Pardon Me Boys (1987), Harry Gunn (1995), Saab (1997), Talladega (1999), The Jobs On (2004), Aikido Whitby (2006) and Western Cullen (2011).
Byford trainer Ross Olivieri has been successful with Harry Gunn, Saab, Talladega and Western Cullen and this year he will be relying on handy filly Sheer Rocknroll, a winner at six of her 11 starts.
She is perfectly drawn on the inside of the back line and Stuart McDonald should obtain a wonderful trail behind Ideal Tyson.
Byford trainer John Oldroyd is full of hope that the promising Lightning Jolt will cause an upset.
Lightning Jolt has won at two of his six starts and will begin from barrier four on the front line for Clint Hall, who drove 44/1 outsider Mynameskenny into fourth place behind Beaudiene Boaz in last year's Golden Slipper for Oldroyd.
Banjup trainer Colin Brown, who has driven Western Apache (2003) and Ohokas Bondy (2010) in previous Slippers, will be represented by the smart New Zealand-bred colt Franco Rayner, who made an impressive Australian debut when he set the pace and romped to a five-length win over El Hombre in a 2185m event at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon.
Franco Rayner, who dashed over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.8sec. at Pinjarra and rated 1.58.5, faces a stern test from the outside of the back line.
Ken Casellas