Ohoka Texas, winner of five of his six starts this season including the Invercargill Cup at his last outing, is among six cup winners of summer racing nominated for the Waikouaiti Cup on Sunday.
Ohoka Texas shares the backmark of 30m with Glencoe V C, winner of the Cromwell Cup and a winner from a 30m handicap at Wyndham on Sunday.
Excuse Maker, winner of the Oamaru and Amberley Cups in the past fortnight, is off 10m.
Franco Ledger (Central Otago Cup) and Motu Speedy Star (Waimate Cup) are off 20m. False Promise, winner of the Roxburgh Cup, is off the front.
Mark Jones, the trainer-driver of Ohoka Texas, has won the Waikouaiti Cup the past two years with Lethal Rocket and My Man Dan.
• Sno's Big Boy, the well-performed trotter, is now trained by Michelle Wallis at Waiuku.
Sno's Big Boy, the winner of 12 races under the direction of Steven Reid at Pukekohe, has not raced since February last year.
"I have had him back in work a couple of times and he kept going sore," Reid said.
"He was found to have ripped a muscle over his hindquarters and it was decided to send him to the beach while he was being treated."
The Reid-trained Gold Ace has returned to Pukekohe. Reid was pleased with the effort of Gold Ace for sixth in a track record (1.59.9 mile rate for 3280m) Hunter Cup on Saturday night.
"He has travelled back well and I will get him ready for the Auckland Cup," he said.
• Alister Black has been suspended until midnight on March 8 for careless driving at Wyndham on Sunday.
Black admitted allowing Tic Tac Bromac to strike the sulky of Regent Somerton, causing Kirstin Black to be unseated.
