The battle for this season's driver premiership could go right down to the wire with the Rattray brothers Gareth and Todd level pegging with only five harness racing meetings remaining.
Two weeks ago Gareth held a five-win advantage over Todd but he has clawed his way back into contention to share the lead with his older brother at 78 wins apiece.
However, Gareth has the chance to regain a margin in Launceston tonight as he has 11 drives on the 12-race card while Todd is down for seven with one an emergency.
Todd admits he has only modest winning chances tonight while Gareth has some plum drives and is favoured to win his 11th driver's premiership.
"I've said before that I won't be losing any sleep if I don't win the premiership because it has never been something I've wanted or hoped to achieve," Todd Rattray said.
"It's nice to be equal with Gareth at this stage of the season but if Gareth does what he normally does he'll jump out of the ground and get a bagful of winners at a couple of meetings and win it.
"I am more than pleased with my season as far as driving winners is concerned but I'm more proud of what I've done as a trainer."
Todd is lying second on the trainer's premiership table with 61 wins and while he is way clear of Ben Yole (111) this is clearly Rattray's best season as a trainer.
He prepared his star open class horse Pachacuti to win the Group 3 Easter Cup in Launceston and interstate last month his two-year-old Ignatius powered his way to an emphatic win in the Group 1 Breeders Challenge final at Menangle in NSW, completing the trip in track record time.
"It was very special when Ignatius won the Breeders Challenge because it was real shot in the arm for Tasmania as well as for me as a trainer.
"When we sent the horse to Sydney we were hoping he'd be competitive but at no stage did we think he would improve that much and run the times he did.
"He arrived back home today (Thursday) and he'll have another month off and we'll start all over again.
"Pachacuti is about two weeks away from coming back into work so I'm looking forward to him returning but I reckon he'll probably do a bit of racing interstate."
On Sunday night Todd's best winning chance appears to be God Sake that has won his past three but this latest assignment is a standing start event.
"God Sake is going extra well but he isn't the best beginner from a stand but if he steps clean and we can find a good spot early he's a good chance."
Gareth has a few top winning chances including two-year-old Tisu Spirit in the first race and the Shelley Barnes-trained Safari Rose in the third that is having its first start in the state and has good recent form.
Safari Rose won two in succession before her last start seventh at Yarra Valley but at her two previous outings she clocked handy mile rates of 1.58.3 and 1.59.4 over 1755m and 1609m respectively.
Peter Staples