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"Let the real racing begin."

That's the sentiment from Phillip Correia who has two ponies as the top qualifiers for Friday's New Year's Day Stakes Races.

Correia's Cherokee Superman was the top pony in the Four-Year-Old Stakes with the fastest combined time. Superman was second in both of his heats, but it was good enough to move on as the favourite this Friday.

Correia's George Tee was the second fastest pony on the day with a blistering 1:05 1/5 in the Aged Stakes, but his overall combined time was enough to install him as the favourite as well.

Correia said: "The goal was to qualify, but now that I'm qualified the real racing can begin. Both of them won their age group, so they both stand an equal chance.

"Everyone's got their guns loaded (for me). It's not going to be a picnic. Everybody's ready to go."

He said he won't be doing anything out of the ordinary with money on the line in the New Year's day Stakes.

The Greenview Stables driver has been racing for six years, but has been around horses for about 20 years. His godfather Michael DaCosta introduced him to pony racing and 'when I got the chance to go out and get my own, that's what I did."

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