Milo, who made a big impression as a 3yr-old last season, is cherry ripe to resume racing at Riccarton tomorrow.
Milo has won trials at Ashburton and Motukarara in a fresh preparation with Yaldhurst trainer Michael Pitman.
"I could have had him back racing earlier but as a rating 75 horse he has the chance to race for a $22,500 stake at the Cup meeting," Pitman said.
Milo has not raced since July when he was unplaced in the third of three starts in Queensland during the winter.
He staged a superb performance to win the Dunedin Guineas (1400m) in February and earlier won the Gore Guineas.
He was badly checked early and finished sixth when attempting to complete the grand slam in the Southland Guineas.
Brittany Moore, the stable apprentice, is back riding Milo tomorrow. She rode the Coats Choice gelding to win two of his first three starts. She was then sidelined after a race fall at Kumara in January. She has returned to race riding in the past month and ridden two winners.
Pitman was delighted with the work of So Elusive at Riccarton yesterday in preparation for the Pegasus Handicap tomorrow.
"Her work was unbelievable. She ran 600m in 34," he said.
Pitman has added blinkers to the gear for So Elusive to sharpen her for 1000m. Lisa Allpress, who rode her to win at Motukarara last Sunday, has retained the mount.
• Blood Brotha is back at Riccarton tomorrow with bright prospects of repeating his win of last year in the Metropolitan Handicap.
Blood Brotha, trained at Wanganui by Raymond Conners, has not won a race since his Metropolitan (2500m) win last year but he has finished second in his last two starts.
Vinnie Colgan has the mount with 54.5kg, 2kg more than he carried last year. Lisa Allpress, who rode the Danzighill gelding last year, has the mount on Fast Love, a lightweight prospect from the Cambridge stable of Murray Baker.
Horses down in the weights have a good record in the Metropolitan.
Blood Brotha is chasing a rare double, The last horse to win successive Metropolitans was The Del Roberts-trained Size Ten in 1995-96.
