THE Fulton Hogan Christmas Carnival series heads west today with day one of the Devonport Carnival.

The main event on the opening night will be on the track with the running of 400-metre Devonport Gift.

With back-to-back defending champion Andrew Robinson unlikely to compete, the race promises to be wide open, with a host of chances, according to carnivals running commentator Brian Paine.

“I picked Jarrod Gilroy to win because he’s the 2013 Tasmanian 400-metre champion and always rises to the big occasion,” Paine said.

“Young Mitch Gowans is a pretty good all-round runner from Kayena, while Robert Keenan is the best of the Victorians from his front mark. Quite a few of the Ray Quarrell runners are in with a chance, too, especially Jacob Despard and Alec Eiszele.”

Maddie Scott will be aiming for back-to-back wins in the women’s final, but faces stiff opposition from Somerset’s Morgan Gaffney, according to Paine.

“Gaffney is concentrating on the 400 metres this year and her form is terrific this season,” he said.

“Michelle Davis is always hard to beat, and Kiara Chamber and Lily Castles are both good runners over the distance.”

Day one at Devonport will also contain the Mersey Wheel over 2000 metres.

The competition will start with the second criterium of the series around the streets of Ulverstone at 12pm.

The 1.1-kilometre circuit takes in Dial, Victoria, Main and King Edward streets, with German Christian Grasmann looking to add to his victory at Westbury.