Harness racing competitors will be looking to feast heartily on steak over the festive holiday - the annual Boxing Day Stakes Races that is.

With more than $10,000 in prize money up for grabs, action promises to be intense at Vesey Street over the holiday as competitors seek to cash in and set themselves up handsomely for the more lucrative season ending stakes in the early spring.

In all, more than 45 ponies are expected to compete on Boxing Day with many eyes on Pocket Change in the two-year-old division.

Nick DeCosta's newest edition at Inwood Stables has managed to grab all the headlines lately after establishing a new record at the track for the most consecutive wins (18) which finally came to an end two weeks ago.

DeCosta now wants to pick up the pieces and regain the magic.

"This is what we have been working towards," he said yesterday.

"There's a lot of competition and I think it will all depend on the draw. That's going to play a big part in the end result and everyone else is also well prepared."

In addition to Pocket Change, Colby Sousa's Ceramic Shamrock - who recently posted a record time of 1.08.1 in his age bracket - Joseph Viera's Taxi Dreamer, former cricketer Lee Raynor Jr's Shamrock Runaway and Charles Whitehead's Shamrock Dirty Dancer are also heavily favoured to mount a serious bid.

In the three-year-old division, Anthony Rego's Maja Nightrain, Mike DeCosta's Pretty Boy Hanover andAaron Madeiros' Champagne On Ice are all in with a shot of grabbing the spoils.

Veteran cricketer Arnold Manders - involved in an early season mishap at the track - is also reported to be back in the sulky of Shamrock Victoria. Joseph Viera's Killer's Legacy - who recently moved up to the Free For All - Katrina Adcock's YD Pride, Aaron Sims' Real Shamrock and DeCosta's Kickapoo Brave are also hot commodities among the division.

Looking ahead to the four-year-old category, veteran trotters LA Winning Ticket (Bill Booth), Mike DeCosta's Shady's Liberty, Eddie Roque's Bowtie's Pocketwatch along with WS Storm A Coming (David Burrows Jr.) and Lyndia'sDream (Bobby DeGraff) are all set to battle for stakes glory. Roque's Pocket Watch was also the pony that broke Pocket Change's 18 race win streak and is now on an impressive win streak of his own with four victories on the trot.

Veteran Roque is hoping for repeat success.

"He is a youngster who is blooming late just like as his father (Tuxedo's Bowtie) but I don't think he will go as fast as his father has gone in the past," said Roque. "I would like to see him go faster. It would be an awesome surprise and if he gets a rail then anything can happen."

Meanwhile, Roque is also favoured to take the Free For All with Tuxedo's Bowtie while son Chris' Shamrock Formal Attire is also capable of springing a surprise or two. Nick DeCosta's GV Colonel Spence is also tipped to mount a strong challenge among the division.

There will also be a few new additions to the senior division. Killer's Legacy, Andrea Westerfield's Custom Eyes'd, Ricky Wilkinson's Jennifer Time, Mike Roberts' Ponder Babe and Chris Wells' Konica Bullet - formerly known as Tell Me About It - have all recently moved up to the faster ranks.

Veteran harness racer and past Bermuda Harness Racing Association president David Lopes says that success will rest upon track conditions - and of course the luck of the draw.

"The pony that has the inside position on this racetrack certainly has the advantage." he said. "But, as has been proven in the past, that doesn't necessarily make them an automatic winner. A lot of it has to do with the luck of the draw."

Lopes insisted yesterday that the fastest pony does not always have things their way.

"Last year Shady's Liberty was the world champion on a one mile track and she was touted to win the three-year-old stakes but yet she was beaten by LA Pocket Rocket," he recalled.

"The luck of the draw coupled with track conditions will certainly play a significant factor."

Lopes was also grateful for the lucrative prize voucher put up by both the business and private sectors.

"The business community and some individuals have provided a considerable amount of prize money and so some of the drivers could very well come away with a pretty good payday come Boxing Day," he said.

Post time for harness action is 12 p.m.