Milo is in an $8000 rating 85 1200m race at Washdyke today as a lead-up to the Stewards' Handicap at the New Zealand Cup meeting.
Milo was an impressive winner over 1200m at Riccarton on October 6 in his first race for nine months. It was shades of his wins in the 2011 Dunedin and Gore Guineas.
"He should be hard to beat and a win should not affect his weight for the Stewards," Michael Pitman, his trainer said.
Pitman is also targeting the Stewards' on November 14 with El Chico and So Elusive. El Chico won the race last year, the fourth win in the Stewards' for a Pitman-trained horse in the past five years.
El Chico will have a lead up race at Wingatui next Tuesday.
He finished fourth in the open sprint at the corresponding meeting last year in his race before the Stewards'.
So Elusive won the Pegasus Handicap (1000m) on the first day of the NZ Cup meeting last year.She again has that race on her programme.
Coup Align, winner of the Stewards' in 2009 and 10 for Pitman, is set to rejoin the stable after racing in Singapore.
Coup Align has entered quarantine in Singapore and he is due back in Canterbury after New Zealand Cup week. He will be spelled on the West Melton property of his owners Ray and Jill Coupland and his condition assessed before he is brought back into work.
Coup Align won 12 of his 22 starts with Pitman before he joined the stable of Mark Walker in Singapore. He has been racing there since July last year for a win over 1000m in October and five placings in nine starts. He finished fourth at his last start in August.
