El Chico powered home from last at the 300m to win over 1200m by three quarters of a length in the hands of Jamie Bullard.
Lisa Allpress has the mount tomorrow over 1600m.
She won on El Chico fresh up at Ashburton in September and at the NZ Cup meeting.
Bullard has the mount on Tipulater, the 10yr-old who is attempting to repeat his Timaru Cup win of three years ago. Tipulater ran third at his last start.
El Chico has won three times in six starts since he was bought in July by trainer Michael Pitman and John and Evelyn Carran, of Otautau.
El Chico had won six races when trained by Jan Hay at Ashburton.
Aluminium Bikerack, the filly who won the Guineas Prelude (1500m) yesterday for the Pitman stable, has the New Zealand Oaks as her target.
"That was her first run over a bit of ground and hopefully she will go to the NZ Oaks after the Guineas races in the south," Pitman said.
"She has a very strong staying pedigree."
The Balcairn stable of John and Karen Parsons won with Hold Me Ransom, Straitothepoolroom, Karamu and Woodyeva yesterday after losing the opening race in the judicial room. The judicial committee upheld the protest of the connections of Shuka regarding interference in the closing stages by Lezani to Shuka and the first and second placings were reversed.
Shuka is raced by Eric Parr, who has lost the services of his good pacer Still Coughin with a leg ailment.
Shuka was a $20,000 purchase by trainer Peter Williams on behalf of Parr at the select yearling sale at Karaka in February.
Shuka was a chance mount for Jay Misbah after Jason Laking did not attend the meeting.
He informed stewards yesterday morning that he was too heavy.
