Seasoned campaigner Avonnova heads into the race following a tight second to Ohoka Punter at Albion Park earlier this month, while six-year-old Ultimate Art already has a growing "Picket Fence" of his own having won eight straight races in recent months.
Both horses will be searching for their first official "Picket" towards the $50,000 bonus for open class horses that culminates on Blacks A Fake race night on Saturday, July 16.
UBET has installed Ultimate Art as a short-priced $1.35 favourite as he looks to make it nine straight wins on Saturday night while Avonnova is second favourite at $4.50.
Trainer Ian Gurney said he was happy with Avonnova's form leading into the race and isn't concerned by his short-priced rival Ultimate Art.
"He's good, he's probably 95 per cent at the moment, and by the time the Blacks A Fake night comes 'round he'll be perfect," said Gurney.
"He'll go well Saturday night but the best is yet to come."
The introduction of the UBET Picket Fence Bonus for this year's Queensland Winter Racing Carnival is an initiative Gurney sees as a big positive for harness racing in Queensland.
"It's good, it's the first time I've seen this level of involvement in harness and it's a breath of fresh air," he said.
"In three to four years I think Queensland harness racing could be at the top of the tree, trotting people are resilient and they stick together."
The concept has attracted a strong field of horses from interstate and New Zealand to take on Queensland's best and Gurney said he was intent on fending off the challenge from the likes of gun Kiwi Christen Me, who arrives in Queensland on Friday.
"I'm married to a Kiwi, so I hate giving them my money," Gurney joked.
The winner of the Lucky Creed Open Pace will be exempt from the ballot for the UBET Blacks A Fake (G1, $200,000) on July 16.
The Group 2 QBred Breeders Classic Finals for two-year-old colts/geldings and fillies (1660m) will also be run at Albion Park this Saturday night, with a consolation race for each of the finals.
Trainer Grant Dixon is well represented in the two-year-old fillies final with five entries in Comefeelthemagic, Bonnies A Beauty, Dalacos Empress, Bonnie Jujon and Eleniark.
In the two-year-old colts/geldings final, Shannon Price has a two-pronged attacked with Statement Made and Bet Im Special, and is also well represented with Ultimate Art in the Lucky Creed Open Pace.
The first night of the Picket Fence Bonus series gets underway from 5.08pm with an 11-race card.
Adam Gardini