The locals look a good chance of getting their hands on the silverware as tomorrow’s Roxburgh Cup appears wide open.
Handicaps, formlines, and the nature of the tight-turning Roxburgh track are set to combine to make an enthralling edition of the 2700m feature.
Central Otago owners Bill and Pauline Bain and Karen Peters get their shot at taking home the Roxburgh Cup with their pacer Wattlebank Arnie.
The pacer comes into the time-honoured event after producing a strong fifth placing when taking on a stronger field in the Gore Cup.
After a slow beginning, Wattlebank Arnie worked home stylishly behind a proven group 1 performer in Sand Wave.
The 5-year-old will need to make a much better beginning tomorrow to take advantage of the head start he gets on several of his key rivals when starting from the front line.
If he does, the pacer looks a strong each-way chance on the strength of his solid last-start effort.
Each of Wattlebank Arnie’s owners has strong ties to the Roxburgh area and the Roxburgh Trotting Club.
Karen Peters races Wattlebank Arnie alongside the estate of her late husband Trevor.
Peters is also a sponsor of the event through her family business Peters Genetics.
Bill Bain is a former president and life member of the Roxburgh Trotting Club.
A significant drop in grade brings Deceptive Lee right into Roxburgh Cup contention.
The Canterbury pacer backs up quickly in the Roxburgh feature after running a solid fifth behind Franco Indie in the group 3 Central Otago Cup.
He steps back in class while starting from a workable 10m handicap in the Roxburgh Cup.
TAB bookmakers rated Deceptive Lee at $7.50 odds, ahead of Wattlebank Arnie at $11, when they opened the Roxburgh Cup market.
Producing strong form behind top-line fillies has been enough to see Kahlua Flybye installed as the early $4.20 Roxburgh Cup favorite.
The 4-year-old starts from the back mark of 20m after running third in the group 1 New Zealand Oaks in her last start.
