Class rider Lisa Allpress spoiled the party two weeks ago when the Brian and Shane Anderton-trained galloper attempted to win three Easter Cups.
The 9yr-old Tommy Tucker, carrying 60kg, charged into second when Allpress and La Fille En Jeu, carrying 53g, had the race sewn up.
Allpress controlled the race in front and there is little doubt she will try to do exactly the same again when she rides Saint Emilion in the group 3 2000m feature.
That means Tommy Tucker's rider, Jacob Lowry, must keep the Cambridge raider closely in his sights.
"The way I see it, Saint Emilion will lead, Authentic Paddy will sit outside it and I am hoping to sit in the trail," Lowry said.
Saint Emilion won one of New Zealand's biggest weight-for-age 2000m races when he controlled the Bonecrusher Stakes from in front at Ellerslie last month.
Lowry hopes that he or Authentic Paddy's jockey, Robbie Hannam, or any other jockey who lands the spot outside the likely front-runner, will not gift Saint Emilion another win.
"I am sure Robbie Hannam ...will be switched on and making sure he [Saint Emilion] doesn't have too easy a time in front. When he has won he has stolen them, but he has probably got a better record going the other way around."
Authentic Paddy, who won the Canterbury Gold Cup in 2016,
was third in Saint Emilion's Bonecrusher Stakes and then ran third in his last outing, the Awapuni Gold Cup on his home track at the end of last month.
North Island horses dominated the early fixed-odds markets for tomorrow's race.
The Otaki-trained Travimy-
friend ($5) was the second-favourite behind Saint Emilion ($3.30) and ahead of Tommy Tucker ($5), Authentic Paddy ($6) and Endean Rose ($10.50) in betting yesterday.
Tommy Tucker looks to be his absolute peak to fend off the northerners. It is a challenge Lowry is looking forward to.
"It's quite exciting for me. He is quite well known as a South Island horse that is pretty good down here, but it is good to see him get a bit of competition and see how he measures up," Lowry said.
"It should be a good race."
The barest of margins separated winner Respin, second-placed Beneficial and Courte Zarindi (third) at listed level at Riccarton two weeks ago.
The trio and fellow Warstep Stakes runner Kiwi Ida are in contention for the South Island Filly Of The Year title that will be decided at Riccarton tomorrow.
They will clash with the Cambridge-trained Caricature in the listed $50,000 Warstep Stakes over 2000m.
