Southern horses have the challenge of fending off North Island raiders in tomorrow’s Gore Guineas.
Progressive types Vincent, Global Thinking and Excelleration have made the trip across Cook Strait to compete in the listed $50,000 feature.
The horse who heads the South’s chances of defending its home turf is The Sparkle.
The filly has the outstanding form credential of running fourth in the group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton next to her name.
After being freshened she ran second at Wingatui behind Sensei to prime her for tomorrow’s 1600m race.
"It was a great run at Wingatui on Boxing Day. She wasn’t screwed down for that day," Robert Dennis, who trains the filly at Woodlands in partnership with the Dennis brothers, said.
"She has had a couple of gallops since and I think she is spot on."
Dennis believes The Sparkle is an even better horse than when she ran fourth in the 1000 Guineas.
"Saturday is going to tell us, but I think she has improved."
The rookie trainer has never won a listed race but is faced with two opportunities of completing that feat within just 22 minutes on Saturday.
His stable also lines up The Lustre, who ran third in the 1000 Guineas, in the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham.
Gore punters will be faced with the tricky task of lining up the form of the northern raiders. Pukekohe filly Excelleration headed the betting on market-opening at $4.20.
The Nigel Tiley-trained 3yr-old ducked and weaved her way to her last-start victory after getting back to last in a rating 65 race at Ruakaka.
Kylie Williams is booked for the ride and Excelleration is the only northerner with a local jockey engaged.
Vincent also comes into tomorrow’s race after running in rating 65 grade. After winning a Tauranga maiden the horse put in a strong effort when sitting three wide without cover the entire way when finishing fifth at Whanganui in his last start.
Global Domination has arguably the strongest form of the three northern raiders.
She won in 3yr-old company at Tauranga in her last start, beating The Great Southern. The runner-up went on to run sixth in last weekend’s group 1 Levin Classic at Trentham.
Three starts ago, the Shaune Ritchie-trained filly ran fourth in group 3 company behind Prom Queen at Ruakaka.
