The build up to The Championships is beginning with the Country Championships Preview at Scone today the next step for leading contender Voodoo Lad.
Voodoo Lad is high up in early betting for the Country Championships Final to be held at Randwick on Day 1 of carnival.
The inaugural running of the 1400m event carries a first prize of $150,000 and Voodoo Lad is no stranger to racing for big purses having already picked up the $100,000 Inglis 2yo Challenge at Scone last season.
It was there that he marked himself down as a horse for the future, posting a good rating and doing so in fine style, and the Country Championships is an ideal path for him to be taking now.
He was beaten for the first time when he resumed from a short break at Wyong last time but it is worth noting that he was first time 1200m there and he should come right on for the run.
With The Championships as his goal trainer Rodney Northam would have no doubt left himself plenty to work with and we can expect to see improvement from the horse with each run.
Northam himself is having a stellar season so far, striking at 22 percent, up on a career strike-rate of 14 percent and that is tipped to continue with the stable boasting a strong roster at present.
None might be as promising as Voodoo Lad.
The danger today appears to be Electric Power who runs for another trainer having an outstanding season to date, Kris Lees.
Lees not only has a host of star performers at the top of the tree - most notably Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and Turnbull Stakes winner Lucia Valentina - but he has been producing plenty of winners across the board, striking at 19 percent.
Electric Power rates to measure right up on his two wins to start this campaign and his latest flop at Warwick Farm can be easily forgiven.
Expect to see him bounce back to form here and mount a genuine winning challenge.
No need for In A Wink to be bouncing back, he was at a new career peak winning at Warwick Farm before a break and a recent trial win showed that he is still in good order.
He has plenty of upside and is another that will no doubt have eyes for Randwick if he can perform well in the lead ups to the Country Championships.
