Two of the hottest young stallions in racing will take their contest to become the leading freshman sire in Australian down to the final day of the season.
Northern Meteor and Sebring, barn mates at the historic Widden Stud, have been locked in an enthralling battle for first-season honours.
With 17 Australian winners, Northern Meteor will take a one-win lead over Sebring into Wednesday's racing.
And with two acceptors - Tarangower at Warwick Farm and Cosmic Belle at Doomben - Northern Meteor has numbers in his favour to hold off the 2008 Golden Slipper winner.
Sebring's only acceptor on Wednesday will be Sea Red, an entry at Doomben who needs a scratching to get a run.
Northern Meteor, who has also sired a winner in Singapore, edged ahead of Sebring when Cosmic Cameo won a race at Wyong on July 18.
Irrespective of the outcome of Wednesday's results, Northern Meteor will end the season as the leading first-season sire by earnings with his progeny banking more than $1.8 million.
Northern Meteor's standout progeny have been Romantic Touch and Zoustar who ran the quinella in the Group One JJ Atkins Stakes during the Brisbane winter carnival.
Like Northern Meteor, Sebring has also sired the winner of three stakes races, the best of which has been the Black Opal Stakes and Todman Stakes winner Criterion.