The fitness edge from a couple of runs might just be key to Joe Pride's pair of sprinters Kuro and Ball Of Muscle unseating Expressway Stakes favourite Music Magnate at Rosehill on Saturday.
It is the very formula that has Bjorn Baker bringing Music Magnate to the races a little sooner than other autumn big guns. Having race fitness is important, he admits.
There is little doubt about the quality of Kuro and Ball Of Muscle, which are both group 1 placed, and they come out of running first and third in the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford a couple of weeks.
"If we can't beat him [Music Magnate] here, we are going to struggle later on," Pride said. "He is a very good horse, Music Magnate, but we have horses that have improvement off each of their runs.
"They are rock hard fit."
Kuro has the edge on his stablemate in betting after storming over the top of him at Gosford. He is returning to the form that took him to third behind Brazen Beau and Delectation in the Coolmore Stud Stakes as a 3-year-old and then runner-up in The Galaxy the following autumn.
After a stint with Lee and Michael Freedman, Kuro has returned to the Pride yard and has been gelded as 5-year-old, which has allowed a resurgence in his form.
 After a couple of seconds sitting at the front, Kuro took a sit in the Starlight Stakes and was able to win showing a great turn of foot. He struggled in the Razor Sharp Stakes on soft ground but his Takeover Target win was perhaps the best of his career. He sat three-wide with cover before sprinting quickly.
"He just put them away so quickly last time," Pride said. "It was the sort of win that gives you a lot of confidence that he is up to much better things.
"We will get through Saturday and then decide what we are going to do with him because he has always been a good horse."
Ball Of Muscle started favourite in the Takeover Target when he led and battled on well for third and Pride has decided to put the blinkers back on him for Saturday.
"He is going well enough and we know he can be competitive in a race like this one," Pride said.
Music Magnate is the $1.90 favourite at Ladbrokes, ahead of Kuro $4.20 and Ball Of Muscle at $5.50. It has been more than seven months since Music Magnate raced but after his two barrier trial wins, Baker is happy to start his preparation before many of his group 1 rivals.
"We just wanted to get him back to the track and see what he can do. He just got a virus in the spring and we decided to give him time," Baker said. "Starting this early means we open options and we'll see what he does and then decide where to go.
"I have said that I think there are more group 1 wins in him and I want to get the advantage of race fitness on my side for his next run."
Music Magnate has not been seen since failing on a shifty Eagle Farm track in the Stradbroke after his moment of glory winning the Doomben 10,000.
"I think he is more of a strong sprinter. He has already won at 1350m and those 1400m races could suit him," Baker said.
"He will be smart first-up at 1200m and I think his trials have shown he is ready to get back to the races."    Â
The ultimate racing form guide with free tips, live odds and alerts for all racing.Â