The Riverina's most promising pacer has made a swift return from an injury problem which derailed plans to add to his group one tally.
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Mister Rea lines up against the older horses at Riverina Paceway on Tuesday.
The Bathurst Gold Crown winner made it six wins from as many starts when taking out his heat of the NSW Breeders Challenge in September before a hoof issue ruled him out of the semi-finals.
It was initially thought Mister Rea wouldn't return until his three-year-old season but trainer Ray Walker has been thrilled with his recovery. "He's back and he's ready to rock," Walker said. "With the quarter crack I kept walking him and doing a bit with him.
"Once it had grown out enough I started jogging him and kept going.
"He was going real good before the break and at the end of the day it might have done him the world of good."
However the Temora trainer is unsure of what lies beyond for his star two-year-old.
He is eligible for the Vicbred Super Series next month but with Walker requiring surgery the MIA Breeders Plate is also an option.
The heats for the two features are both on December 14.
Normally, Walker would have headed south of the border for the group one series, but will consult with wife Jane and reinsman Daryll Perrot after Tuesday's run on the best plan of attack.
"I'll be out of action for probably six weeks so we'll have a talk after Tuesday night," Walker said.
"I know where I would be normally, I'd just go to Victoria, set up at Russell Jack's and just stay there for the fortnight but with what is going to go on we don't really know but he will be in one of the two."
The heats of the Vicbred Super Series are at Shepparton with the semi-final and final to be run at Melton.
The $130,000 final is on New Year's Eve while Leeton's feature race, worth $30,000, will be run on Boxing Day.
With Walker having an operation on his bowel on December 15, the logistics of a Vicbred campaign become much more complicated.
However, he believes racing at Wagga is the ideal preparation for either race.
He's drawn barrier four in a up to 52 ratings affair.
"It was a 52 random (barrier draw) so I thought it would suit," Walker said.
"There was the exact same race on Friday but it was a fortnight out from the other two races so I figured then we would have more time to sort everything else out."
Walker also has Red, who has been placed in his last two, and Funnily Enough both engaged.
Meanwhile John Downey pulled off a minor upset in the delayed Cherry Festival Cup at Young on Sunday night.
The meeting was moved from Friday due to the state of the track, and it was Goodtime Junior who took advantage of a good draw in the $12,000 feature.
Despite struggling to keep up with the mobile early, Goodtime Junior found a good position from barrier two to win by halfneck.