The early favourite, Royal Bengal, may be trained in Canterbury but he is very much a local hope in today's Gore Cup.
The horse is raced by Gore Harness Racing Club president Kenny Baynes and his wife, Jo.
Royal Bengal brings strong Canterbury form to a race which should suit the pacer perfectly, co-trainer Tony Barron said.
''It's a very good race for him. He is owned down there and they are pretty keen to win it.
''It is a standing start and he has got to begin [well]. He has only had one [standing start] and he won at Roxburgh last year, but we have got the right man in the sulky to get him away.''
Royal Bengal, who will be driven by Dexter Dunn, is likely to progress to either the Roxburgh or Cromwell meetings early next month.
''Looking at the big picture we would like to qualify him for the country cups final,'' Barron said.
Franco Tristan, who could not be fully driven out because of a sulky seat malfunction at Winton on Saturday, looms as Royal Bengal's main threat.
Royal Bengal opened a $2.60 fixed-odds favourite for today's race ahead of Franco Tristan at $4.
Kenny and Jo Baynes have a big chance of claiming both feature races on today's card.
They will be represented in the feature trot, race 7, by the early favourite, War Machine.
The Tony Stratford-trained trotter opened a $2.40 fixed-odds favourite and is shooting for three consecutive wins.
War Machine will also be driven by Dunn.
The horse will clash with emerging Southern talent Smokey Mac who returns to racing for the first time since winning on the track in October.
The Tony and Ken Barron stable also lines up Rockaball in race 6.
The horse would need luck from his draw on the outside of the front line, but if he gets it he could figure in the finish, Tony Barron said.
