Boat Harbour-trained pacer Magical Mike is selected to beat a classy field in the 40th running of the $18,000 Mark Colin Packaging Inter City Final (2400m) at the Maitland Paceway tonight.
A win would provide trainer-driver Les Kosklin with compensation for his narrow loss at his only previous attempt, when Yap Yap Yoee finished third in the 1995 final.
In that final Kosklin handed the reins to leading Sydney reinsman Darren Hancock and Yap Yap Yoee looked set to score a comfortable win when he dashed to the lead on the home turn.
However, Yap Yap Yoee started to pace roughly with 50m remaining and broke for a few strides, which allowed Michael Augustus to flash home to score a head win over Scot's Blue Chip, with Yap Yap Yoee a nose back in third place.
Kosklin is confident that Magical Mike can make amends and also provide Sydney owner Alec Micallef with his biggest win in the sport.
" He is potentially the best pacer I have trained and I could not be more happy with the way things have gone since his easy win last week," Kosklin said as he gave the gelding an easy workout at Birubi Beach yesterday.