Stunin Cullen brilliantly won a workout at Rangiora on Saturday in preparation for the Avon City Ford (New Brighton) Cup free-for-all on Friday night.
Stunin Cullen won a 2600m workout by eight and three-quarter lengths after starting from 30m.
He recorded 3.14.5, the last 800m in 54.8.
"He went phenomenal. Anthony [Butt, the driver] didn't ask him for much," Tim Butt, the trainer said.
Butt also has Raglan in the New Brighton Cup.
Raglan won fresh up at Addington on August 27, holding off the late-finishing Stunin Cullen by a head.
They will clash with Monkey King, who is starting afresh.
The winner of eight of his 12 starts and $1,732,749 in stakes last season, Monkey King, driven by trainer Brendon Hill, won a mobile start workout in 3.21.1, the last 800m in 57.1 on Saturday.
"It was a nice run for him. I didn't want him chasing, which would have been the case if he had started from 30m in the standing start," Hill said.
Monkey King did not resume racing last season until the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru late in September.
He won the New Zealand Cup in November.
Hill has other New Zealand Cup hopes Power Of Tara (18 wins) and Tennis Ball (nine wins) resuming in the New Brighton Cup.
Power Of Tara, finished a close third to Monkey King and Georgetown on Saturday.
Tennis Ball was unplaced behind Stunin Cullen.
Hill said Harley Earl would be on the sideline for 12 months through a tendon injury.
The winner of 10 races and third to Tintin In America and Still Coughin in the Harness Jewels, Harley Earl was never clear when unplaced in the Chariots Of Fire at Menangle at his last start.
Better Than Money won over 2000m (mobile) in 2.28.9, the last 800m in 57.7 on Saturday.
The Robert Dunn-trained Better Than Money, had a win and a second from two starts at Addington as a 2yr-old in July.
Better Than Money won by a nose from Machtavish, an unraced Mach Three-Darlene Bromac 3yr-old colt with Mark Smolenski.
Franco Nartiscape won his workout in 2.29.9.
Franco Nartiscape was badly checked at Methven at his last start after a second to His Honour at Addington on August 31.
He joined the Dunn stable last month after winning three races for Leeston trainer Ray Reekie and another when trained by Steven McRae.
Temudjin, a $100,000 yearling sales purchase, won at the Timaru Harness Racing Club meeting yesterday when having his first start. He is a 3yr-old colt by Christian Cullen from Mainland Reign, raced by brothers Kevin, Tony and Ray Hickman, of Christchurch, Dave Jones, of Rakaia and David Shadbolt, of Broadfield.
Temudjin is trained by Gerard O'Reilly, who has trained other horses for the Hickmans including Jackson Browne and Shinny.
Jackson Browne won six with O'Reilly and five, including the Kurow and Northern Southland Cups in 2005-06 for David and Catherine Butt.
Shinny won four.
Temudjin is among several horses Shadbolt has prepared for yearling sales.
"David really liked the horse and I have known the Hickmans for a long time and we decided to make the purchase," Dave Jones, said.
He operates the Paritai Stud with his wife Pat.
They bred the 2007 Caulfield Cup winner Master O'Reilly.
Temudjin was bred by Alister Douglas, of West Melton.
The colt is the second foal of Mainland Reign, a winning Camtastic mare.
She is a half-sister to Live To Reign, the winner of 25 races in New Zealand and Australia and successful in 1.52.4 in North America.
River Raven, who also won yesterday at his first start, is a 5yr-old.
River Raven is trained at Ashburton by Wendy Stevenson, who races the Red River Hanover-Seafield Raven gelding with her partner, Peter Forrest.
They bred River Raven, who qualified at Ashburton two and a-half weeks ago.
