Carrying more weight than his rivals on a testing heavy track did not prevent the Ellis Winsloe-trained galloper from dashing away to win the 2000m feature by four-and-a-half lengths.
Nomen Ludi's tough attitude and staying genes - being a half brother to leading steeplechaser Tai Ho - look to make him perfectly suited to the 3200m staying of a New Zealand Cup.
However, his path towards the race has been far from perfect, as he has had two tough races on testing tracks.
And how he recovers from those two recent runs on his home track will dictate whether or not he gets to Riccarton for the New Zealand Cup Carnival.
"It wasn't the plan to be running around on wet tracks, so I am going to have to see how he comes through it before making any plans for the New Zealand Cup," Winsloe said.
"He does handle the wet, but its not ideal having two really hard runs like that to get him ready for Christchurch."
His recovery from yesterday's race will also dictate whether Nomen Ludi starts again before the New Zealand Cup, in a race like the Metropolitan Handicap, if he heads to Riccarton.
If his winter form is anything to go by, Nomen Ludi should bounce back quickly from his Winton Cup run.
The Nom De Jeu galloper has produced excellent and consistent form since starting his current preparation, after a short break at the start of the year.
Then, the Riverton Cup was the horse's main aim, but that race turned pear-shaped when the horse tailed the field throughout.
Its been a case of the New Zealand Cup appearing on Winsloe's radar after the horse's great winter.
"The Riverton Cup was the main aim for him but that didn't go to plan," the trainer said.
"So, we just kept going with him and he kept going well through the winter, so the New Zealand Cup became an option."
Rider Terry Moseley had Nomen Ludi in the front throughout after drawing the outside starting stall.
Moseley let the 6yr-old loose at the top of the straight and the race was over 200m from home.
Runner-up and fellow New Zealand Cup nominee, Galway Garry, charged home in an impressive effort to take second.
His trainers, Kelvin and Aimee Tyler, enjoyed an excellent day out at the Gore meeting by producing three winners.
The Riverton trainers won yesterday's open 1200m sprint with The Bumper, as well as notching victories with Times Time and Feel The Rush.
Trainer Stephen Blair-Edie also scored a winning treble, meaning six of yesterday's nine races were won by Western Southland trainers.
