Ortem Fire was being tried in blinkers when she finished strongly for second to Natuzzi in the Southland Guineas (1600m) on a slow track.
The track is rated a slow (7) at Wingatui, where Ortem Fire is trained by Brian and Shane Anderton. The prospect is for drying of the track.
Ortem Fire is racing over 1400m. She won a maiden race on her home track at that distance in November.
Orutan, second to Bangalore Bullet in the Dunedin Guineas and fourth in the Southland Guineas, should make her presence felt along with Cora Lynn, who has two wins and second at Riccarton from three starts.
Trainer Steven Prince will assess the track before advising owner Andy Denham on a start for Ric O'Shea in the open 1600m race tomorrow.
Ric O'Shea won the open 1400m by three lengths at Cromwell on Sunday, advancing his record to five wins in nine starts. Prince had not planned to start Ric O'Shea tomorrow, but the owner is keen. Prince would like to spell Ric O'Shea and bring him back into work during the winter with a view to the Coupland's Mile at Riccarton in November.
"His race on Sunday hasn't done him any harm but he has got it all before him and I just feel a spell now would help him realise his potential," Prince said.
Ric O'Shea was increased 11 points to 93 in his rating for the Cromwell win. He carried the minimum of 54kg and has top weight of 59kg tomorrow.
Kylie Williams rode him at Cromwell but she has remained with her prior engagement, Chaparella, a stablemate of Ric O'Shea.
Jamie Bullard, who has ridden Ric O'Shea in wins at Riccarton and Ascot Park this season, has the mount.
• Kerrin McEvoy has been declared to ride Crocodile Canyon in the Adelaide Cup (3200m) on Monday. The Kevin Myers-trained Crocodile Canyon won the Marton Cup (2200m) at Awapuni in January and ran seventh in the Wellington Cup (2400m). He was placed in Victoria in 2010.
