If Master Lavros can get the first 30 metres right, the next 2570 should be no problem.
The 2013 Dominion Handicap winner starts his campaign at the harness racing meeting at Addington on Friday night as he heads towards the 2015 edition of the Group I.
A $12,000 trot is hardly the glitz and glamour of the $250,000 Dominion but with Stent, Habibti and Kincaslough in, it shapes as an interesting leadup.
Trainer Mark Jones has hardly had the perfect build up after Master Lavros missed a trial last week due to a minor illness, but Jones knows the giant 7-year-old son of Sundon is in much better shape than last year when was plagued by issues early in the season.
Those issues made for frustrating times for Jones and his owner Kypros Kotzikas as manners continually blew his chances in races that should have been easy kills.
In his only trial this preparation, Master Lavros skipped away from the tapes to give the field a 100m head start, something he cannot afford to do on Friday night.
Master Lavros stepped perfectly in his final three stands last season and Jones puts the trial blemish down to being a bit fresh.
"There's always a small question mark with him fresh up but I'm pretty confident he will step away this week, he seems very settled," Jones said.
All the big bangers start off 30m with Habibti and Kincaslough off the unruly.
"Because he's off 30m there isn't much in front of him and that's when he usually steps away best," Jones said.
Jones is happy with Master Lavros' fitness despite missing the Rangiora trial and believes he could be fit enough to win.
"Missing the trial could have been a blessing because the track was slushy," Jones said.
"He's been trotting super so I'm pretty happy with him."
Bookmakers currently have Master Lavros a $3.60 favourite to win the Dominion, with Stent at $3.80 and Sheemon at $5.50.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club has increased its minimum stake to $7500 from November 1.
Club chairman Barry Dent said stakes and bonuses have risen 20 per cent at Addington since 2012.
Mat Kermeen
Reproduced with permission of Stuff NZ – Check site here