Unbeaten Torque Flight and classy Whata Nice Size look the standout chances as the Group 2 Rosewood and District Community Bank Ipswich Auction Series (520m) kicks off on Saturday.
The pair go in the first and fifth of seven heats respectively with both looking to maintain their superb recent form in the $40,000-to-the-winner series.
Torque Flight has two wins from his first two starts at Ipswich - albeit at the 431m distance - and looks drawn well here in box one.
He is already being targeted at a crack at future Group titles by trainer Alby Kennewell and seems ready for another win here.
“I’m very confident he will do well here,” Kennewell, who won last year’s Group 2 Black Top final with Rose of Galo, said. “He has won his first two races very well and looks good.
“The only worry is whether he will tire or not. The 520 at Ipswich is harder than the 520m at Albion Park.
“With this box, though, I think he can lead and then they will struggle to catch him.
“If he carries on like this I might have a look at the Black Top with him later in the year.”
There is a question mark behind Torque Flight's staying ability at this distance but he has pinged the lids on his first two starts.
Watch Torque Flight's last start victory here.
Highlife has run a couple of decent 520m races at both Ipswich and Albion Park and looks the strongest challenger to Torque Flight here.
Tony Brett’s Whata Nice Size (box seven) looks tough to stop in race five and is a great chance for the entire series.
He was badly checked in his last start and finished eighth, but that can be discounted.
Brett's charge is a quality chaser with nine wins and five minor placings from 15 starts and seems the strongest here.
In-form pair With A Gee (heat two) and heat seven’s Waikarie Magic are two to watch here and during the rest of the series.
A tempting roughie chance could be Got A Brother, who has run two good sub-30.60 runs so far in his brief career.
The son of Collision goes in heat four here, clearly has ability and looks capable of progressing further.
Semi-final action takes place next Saturday, with the final a week later.
For Ipswich Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
