The bookies see it differently, but Wagga trainer Rod Woodhouse rates Time Keepa Lombo the best of his two chances in Monday night's $16,000 Junee Pacers Cup (2170m).
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We Salute You ($4.50) is on the third line of betting, with grey gelding Time Keepa Lombo a $15 hopes from barrier five.
But with We Salute You copping a second row draw for the second time in as many races since transferring to Woodhouse from the Blake Fitzpatrick stable, Woodhouse rates Time Keepa Lombo a knockout hope.
After finishing sixth in his heat last week, We Salute You was first emergency for the final but made his way into the field after Philip Maguire's Dashofluck was scratched.
Time Keepa Lombo is likely to lead or be on the pace, while Woodhouse feels We Salute will need some early luck to find a good position.
"I'd rather take the each-way on the grey horse (Time Keepa Lombo), he's drawn a bit better," Woodhouse said.
"I think he went alright (in the heat). I don't know whether he'll lead or not, he probably will, and we'll see if We Salute You comes around and visits us.
"Time Keepa Lombo was beaten at the 400 (in the heats), but he just kept plugging away.
"Baylee Duck is on We Salute You and he's a good young driver. I'll let him sum things up on the night."
The heat was We Salute You's first race since October, while Time Keepa Lombo has also had just two starts since winning the Regional Championships Consolation Final in May.
"Time Keepa Lombo just wasn't himself, he had a big campaign including the consolation race in Wagga and he needed a blow," Woodhouse said.
"He also got a cut on his knee and that took a while to heal."
Peter McRae has been booked for the drive on Time Keepa Lombo, with Ellen Bartley's Nowhere Creek and Ben Settree's Kanena Provlima duelling for favouritism in the early markets.
Nowhere Creek won his heat last week in impressive fashion, which was his fourth win in his last five starts.
Woodhouse has won the Junee Pacers Cup previously with Crown The Joker in the mid nineties, and would love to add a second to his CV.
"It would be nice, I love racing the clubs around here and we try and support them wherever we can," he said.
"It's up there, it would definitely be one of the better ones (local cups)."
The main race is scheduled for 9:04pm and is part of an eight-race card beginning at 6:52pm.
The Allan Harpley Memorial follows the main event, with Jason Grimson's Stagger Lee an odds-on favourite from barrier eight.
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