Last season's top two-year-old pacer Playing Arkabella began her three-year-old season with a win in Hobart last week so she should only need to mirror that form to win again at Luxbet Park tonight.
The Paul Hill-trained filly won the two feature two-year-old events in Tasmania last season, the Sweepstakes final and the Evicus Stakes to finish the season with four wins and as many minor placings from eight starts to be named Tasmania's best 2YO filly.
She spent eight months away from harness racing and Hill says the long break did her the world of good but she put on so much weight that it took a long time to get her to the racing stage.
"The filly was in the paddock for a lengthy spell but she got away from me a bit because she was grazing as well as being hard fed twice a day at one stage," Hill said.
"I think she had five trials before I took her to the races. She fit now but still took a lot of benefit from that first-up run last week."
Playing Arkabella has drawn awkwardly in gate seven on the outside of the front row.
"I don't think the outside front-row draw is going to be a concern because there are no plans to lead and Ricky (Duggan) will just let her ease off the gate and find a spot and if it's last then so be it.
"There is a bit of speed in the race and the first-starter of Juanita McKenzie's, Jaks Teller, is a lovely horse that goes well and I know that because I drove him in a trial the other night.
Jaks Teller is a three-year-old colt owned by Jamie Cockshutt and Barry Cooper who have had a lot of success with horses they have purchased from New Zealand and this gelding could be another potential feature race winner.
Swap Me is another in the race owned by Cockshutt and Cooper and he was an encouraging second to Playing Arkabella last week.
The Rohan Hillier-trained Call Me Blondie has been placed three times since her first-up win at Scottsdale in early January so she must also rate an each-way chance in the field of seven.
Hill said Playing Arkabella's main missions this time in are the Tasmanian Oaks and the Bandbox Stakes.
Peter Staples