Ultimate Sniper vs Chase Auckland, Paramount King and Habibi Inta vs Majestic Man - these are the key Inter Dominion battles that look set to decide the first TrotStars winner.
Entrants Kenneth Brown and @SlipperyNZ have separated themselves from the pack, amassing 192 and 190 points respectively throughout the heats, with Thomas Hubbard some 14 points in arrears in third place.
So dominant have the duo been that Brown's total is only 15 points shy of the perfect team, which would have featured Ultimate Sniper, A G's White Socks, Winterfell, Temporale and Paramount King (207 points).
Brown has series stars Ultimate Sniper ($1.40 fav to win the final with TAB.com.au) and A G's White Socks ($11) flying his flag in the pacing ranks, while Temporale ($13), Paramount King ($19) and Habibi Inta ($21) are his trotting hopes, but all were disadvantaged with back row finals draws.
On Saturday night @SlipperyNZ will pin his hopes on A G's White Socks ($11), Chase Auckland ($18) and Mach Shard ($126) of the pacers, while he shares trotter Temporale ($13) with Brown but has well fancied Majestic Man ($4.80) as a point of difference.
Double points are on the line in the final, which will be allocated as follows:
Pacers: 1st place 34 points, 2nd place 28, 3rd place 24, 4th place 20, 5th place 18, 6th place 16, 7th place 14, 8th place 12, 9th place 10, 10th place 8, 11th place 6 and 12th place 4.
Trotters: 1st place 32 points, 2nd place 26, 3rd place 22, 4th place 18, 5th place 16, 6th place 14, 7th place 12, 8th place 10, 9th place 8, 10th place 6, 11th place 4 and 12th place 2.
The pacers carry a two-point per position higher value than the trotters owing to the greater number of horses who participated in their series.
The winner will secure four tickets to the OwnTheMoment Marquee on Night 2 or 3 of the TAB Summer Of Glory at Tabcorp Park Melton.
So can anyone else mow the top two down?
Third-placed Thomas Hubbard's team replicates the leaders too closely to envisage him leapfrogging both, with $126-1 shot Destiny Jones his only point of difference.
If Ultimate Sniper and Majestic Man both win, fourth-placed @bengrimstone (171 points) would erase much of his 21-point deficit, but it's unlikely to be enough given he's also got non-qualifier Our Uncle Sam.
Fifth-placed Daniel Costello (165 points) has Cruz Bromac as a point of difference and equal sixth-placed Steve McWilliam (163 points) has well fancied pair Cruz Bromac ($7.50) and Marcoola ($7), but even if both get up it is difficult to see him erasing the 29-point deficit to Brown.
However, there is still plenty to play for, with Harness Racing Victoria bumping up the prize pool. Those entrants who finish second, third, fourth or fifth will win two tickets to the OwnTheMoment Marquee on Nights 2 or 3 of the TAB Summer Of Glory.