The brilliantly performed Brian and Shane Anderton-trained galloper will attempt to be the first horse since Ed in 1995 to bring the cup south of the Waitaki.
But there are two stark differences between what Ed faced then and what Patrick Erin and rider Chris Johnson will face tomorrow.
Patrick Erin strikes a weaker Wellington Cup field, compared with the capacity field Ed beat. But the famed Southland galloper, who was trained by the late Cecil Beckett, had the luxurious weight of 52kg. Patrick Erin will carry 59.
Ed also won the 1997 Wellington Cup, but he did it that time from the North Island stable of the late Noel Eales.
Patrick Erin has been the favourite in the weeks leading into the race and cemented that position with a brilliant last-start win at Wingatui.
The horse went from a hopeless position and being blocked for a run to sprinting magnificently to win in the space of just metres.
That performance is one of the factors that gives his trainers confidence Patrick Erin will see out the 3200m staying test of tomorrow's feature strongly.
"It is one of those things when you don't know until you have a go, but everything is pointing that way,'' Shane Anderton said.
"The way he finished over 2200m at Wingatui the other day, he had plenty in reserve.
"If he carries on that sort of form, it is not the strongest Wellington Cup you have ever seen, so time will tell.''
The weight advantage Patrick Erin's rivals have over him is something that has Anderton stumped.
"The horse below us in the weights [Blathwayt] has won one less race than us and about $50,000 more prizemoney and he is 54.5kg and we are 59kg. It doesn't make sense,'' he said.
"You get a consistent horse in the South Island and they seem to get hammered.''
TAB bookmakers had Patrick Erin at $4.20 leading into the race this week.
Opaki galloper Alinko Prince, who carries 53kg, was rated hardest for the North Taieri galloper to beat at $4.50.
