OVERVIEW: Like Verbici in race nine, PHOENIX REX (5) is one of the big guns in the two-year-old trotting series for the boys and looks awfully hard to hold out in heat two. He heads here after a short, sharp Queensland campaign where he snared Group 2 success with a simply ridiculous win in the QBRED Final. He made two breaks in that race and lost a huge amount of ground, but still managed to get up and win. He’s five from five to start his career and he’s a very good horse. I’ve got a bit of time for INSULATOR (1), who did things wrong first-up from a break but ran well for a close-up third to Verbici last time out. He draws well and is a key danger to the favourite. CLOUDY CANYON (4) led, ended up three fence and rattled late to be beaten 1.7m by Kyvalley Dixon last time out, ORLANDO VEYRON (8) made a mistake first-up from a break but showed good ability in his first campaign, while SUMTHIN DIFFERENT (7) heads here after a third to Verbici in the Group 2 NSW Trot Final and is a key runner despite the wide gate.

10-UNIT GAME PLAN

R1 #2 KYVALLEY DRIFTER – 2 units (win)

R3 #6 HALLEBESOFINE – 2 units (win)

R4 #2 GLADIATRIX – 3 units (win)

R7 #2 MISTER DEVEREAUX – 3 units (place)

EARLY QUADDIE

1,5,8,9/1,2,8/6,7,9/1,2

QUADDIE

2,3/1,2,4/1/3