Trainer Alex Ashwood believes his Group 1-winning trotter Parisian Artiste is nearing his best form as he prepares to overcome a 30-metre back mark in tonight's $20,000 Aldebaran Park Bendigo Trotters Cup.

The seven-year-old has been freshened since finishing runner-up in the Charlton Trotters Cup a month ago when sent out a $1.60 favorite.

Ashwood concedes Parisian Artiste performed slightly below par at Charlton.

“He had his chance to win at Charlton and he couldn’t quite get the job done,” Ashwood said.

Ashwood is buoyed by the son of Love You’s trial against the pacers last week at Bendigo when he finished runner-up to Katunga Express, with the third horse Tooram Cee Cee saluting at Echuca on Sunday night.

“We got his joints injected and his work has been pretty good since, so I think he will bounce back to something like his best,” he said.

“He’s had his share of issues over the journey and he can be high-maintenance, but we are managing them, and all going well, he will continue to race at a high level for another couple of years.”

Ashwood rates the Emma Stewart-trained Harold Smith as the hardest to beat.

“We have to give Harold Smith a 10-metre start, so he has the advantage,” he said.

“It is a small field and there is no real pressure in the race, so there’s a chance Emma’s horse will find the lead without having to do a lot of work.

“And then I’ll leave it up to Ellen (Tormey) as to what to do.”

Harold Smith prevailed when the pair last clashed in the McNamara Memorial Trotters Cup at Geelong six weeks ago.

“We locked wheels with another horse at the top of the home straight when he was starting to make his run, otherwise I think he would have gone close,” he said.

Harold Smith is searching for a hat-trick of wins after saluting at Geelong and Melton.

Veteran trotter Sundons Courage, who is lining up for his 199th career race start, appears well in on the handicaps off 10 metres.

The winner of 27 races, the 12-year-old showed there is life left in his ageing legs when runner-up behind Harold Smith at Geelong before finishing third to the same horse at Melton three weeks ago.