Big targets in mind for gelding, but Seib, but will wait to see Howie does at Albury

Less than two weeks from Canberra’s signature meeting on Black Opal Stakes day, one of its leading trainers is set to return an exciting three-year-old at Monday’s Albury meeting.

Howie Do it, a powerfully built son of 2019 The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes in the Danielle Seib stable, hasn’t started since a dominant debut win at Leeton in early spring.

That day the gelding overcame an awkward start and being held up from the 400m to eventually power home and win by nearly three lengths, running a slick 1.01.70 mins for the 1050m.

With much bigger targets instantly in mind, Howie Do it was put away over summer, only re-emerging for an easy trial at Canberra earlier this month.

He lines up at Albury in an intriguing $30,000 Class 2 handicap over 1000m, and a potential showdown with locally trained five-year-old Narcissist who opened $3.20 favourite, with Howie Do It at $3.60 early.

A son of Menari in the Brett Mallyon yard, Narcissist is very fit, and knocking on the door after charging home to miss by a long neck here in similar company 18 days ago.

But an expected change in the weather in the 24 hours leading up to the meeting could prove pivotal, with the early Good rating likely to slip back into Soft range.

Narcissist’s only win so far from nine starts came in soft going, while Howie Do It naturally has not run on rain-affected ground so far.

That said, the surface has been in outstanding order this season, with winners coming from inside and out; on speed and from a long way back.