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Friday night’s Diamond Classic (2130m) has been blown wide open, after dominant filly Water Lou drew the one barrier her trainer Mike Reed didn’t want her to draw.
Water Lou has established herself as Perth's dominant filly over the past six months, having won eight of her past nine starts.
The Sweet Lou filly won her Diamond Classic heat stylishly last Tuesday week in a time of 1:58.5.
However, Water Lou's hopes of winning Friday's final were dented when she drew barrier 10.
Mike Reed said driver Shannon Suvaljko would have to drive a clever race.
"I'd rather have drawn anywhere else but 10," Reed told The Trots WA.
"I'll leave it up to Shannon what he wants to do, but chatting to him last night he is leaning towards coming off the pegs.
"I think if she was blocked for a run that would be the only way she gets beaten.
"The way she's working, I think she can come from last and win the race if she has to."
Water Lou faces the exact same circumstances as Wonderful To Fly, who was also the pre-eminent filly going into the 2022 Diamond Classic, where she also drew barrier 10.
Driver Shane Young came off the pegs on that occasion and Wonderful To Fly was able to score an impressive victory.
The Aiden De Campo-trained and driven Miss Hepburn, who won at Gloucester Park earlier this month prior to her fourth placing in the Diamond heat, drew barrier one and looks set to be a key player.
De Campo said his filly deserved her chance to lead on Friday.
"She's been super since coming back this preparation," De Campo told TABradio.
"She's been building and building.
"That one draw, we will definitely be taking advantage of that and trying to lead.
"I think she's a really hot chance no matter where the other horses have drawn."
Sugar Delight, who beat Miss Hepburn in the heat, has drawn barrier five, while fellow talented filly Xceptional Arma looks set to have a tough task from barrier eight.
Meanwhile, trainer Gary Hall Snr will be out to score another Free-For-All win on Friday night, where he has five of the seven runners engaged in the Westral Shadetrack Outdoor Blinds Pace (2130m).
Fremantle Cup runner-up Jumpingjackmac headlines the strong Hall Snr team, while Youre So Fine makes his return in the $30,000 event.
