HARNESS racing will return to the Lin Gordon Paceway today for the start of the Leeton club's new season as part of the Melbourne Cup carnival and does so with all the top horses and star reinsman.
Bill Trembath of Leeton will team up with the Kahlefeldt stable after he recently was crowned the leading driver in the South West region for the second year in a row.
Trembath drove 47 winners in the 2008-09 South West region, with more winners outside to beat his tally of around 39 last year.
Trembath said it was one of his greatest achievements in harness racing in the 2007-08 season and has now topped that with two premierships in a row.
He will start looking for a third, with a book of four drives today.
Trembath collected his award at the Harness Racing NSW presentation night, when Leeton Harness Racing Club was crowned the best Carnival of Cups meeting.
Trembath will pilot Wild Knight in the first race and looks to have the race favourite, with the five-year-old only having two starts for one second and it will be the first start for the new stable. The main opposition looks to come from the first starters Godslittle-problem and Kirra Beach.
In the second of the day, Kenmore Lady and Johanna Mary Brown look to battle it out, but Kunari Keeptime can't be taken lightly after winning two starts ago.
In the third race, Rescue Package looks the one to beat, with Big Bad Brad and Safari Blue Star place chances.
The fourth race sees the Tony Piltz-trained Imalolatoo the one to beat after some good trial form and two wins in her last four starts. However, the mare won't have it easy, with the likes of Final Arrival resuming from a spell after winning the last two outings and coming up with barrier one and Packet of Crackers should also be included in a trifecta.
In the fifth of the day, it will be a matter of how Deadsetlucky resumes from a spell and will be going for five straight wins, having won over $115,000. The runners most likely to fill the placings are Beach Rendezvous and Dacing Diamond.
The sixth race will be the race of the day, except for the Melbourne Cup of course, with all runners having a chance and it being the faster class of the day.
Classy mare And May I Say could start favourite as punters don't need to be reminded of her form at this track last Christmas carnival, while Matai Cullen, Sand Sweeper and Never Walk Alone, with Trembath on board, all have unbelievable form in which any one could win.
In the last race, the short-priced favourite will be I'm A Happy Girl for the Dave Kennedy stable, with four wins from seven starts and looks a class above the maiden field.
While Heading North and Bold Turf could fill a place.
The first race is at 1pm the club will have full TAB facilities in operation with great coverage of the Melbourne Cup carnival as well as best dressed awards and kids entertainment.