Champion reinsman Chris Alford will renew his racetrack partnership with globetrotting squaregaiter Aldebaran Zeus when he makes a long-awaited return to Australian racing at Melton tonight.

The Brent Lilley-trained trotter campaigned in New Zealand and the United States through much of 2023 but is back for his first race on our shores since April last year.

The multiple Group 1 winner tuned up for the TAB Lenin Trotters Free For All with a slick second placing at the trials on Monday and Alford liked what he felt.

“He seems to have come back really happy and well,” Alford told Harness Racing Victoria’s Burning Questions program.

"He travelled really well the other night and hit the line good. He still had something left, but he'd want to going into a free for all this week.”

Aldebaran Zeus, who beat champion squaregaiter Just Believe at Menangle in March 2023, has been well backed since markets opened to be a firm favourite for tonight’s event.

He starts from barrier three but does have noted gate speed runners Sundons Courage and Gaelic Lad drawn inside him.

“You can never guess what they're going to do with Sundons Courage - sometimes they hold, sometimes they hand up. He doesn't have to burn the gate to win the race, so we'll just play it by ear,” Alford said.

“Ollivici and One Over All are going really well - they're going to be hard to beat - but I think with any luck in the run he'll be very hard to beat.”

Tonight’s TAB Lenin Trotters Free For All is race two on the Melton card and is set to go at 5.29pm.

We’re having some luck with our suggested plays in the Herald Sun during recent weeks, so let’s try to keep the ball rolling.

Tonight’s opening race has a $10,000 jackpot added to the First 4 and a healthy pool is expected for the fast class Allied Express Pace at 4.54pm.

Given the emergency Jillibyjacksparrow now gains a start, he looks the likely leader and might then choose to hand up the top to favourite Perfect Class. Ubetcha Tigerpie is flying and draws for a good run from barrier one, while Yambukian was enormous from the breeze last weekend when beaten in a photo by star rival The Lost Storm.

Let’s take 1,7,13 to win and then progressively go wider as we move through second, third and fourth positions.

The ticket reads 1,7,13/1,4,5,7,13/1,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,13/field and $100 gets 11.90 per cent.

Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.