Duke Of The Moment, a member of the stable of Phil Williamson, had a win and four placings in seven starts as a 2yr-old trotter last season.
He has not raced since finishing third to Flying Isa and Escapee in the Harness Jewels at Ashburton in June. He was also placed behind Flying Isa in the New Zealand Trotting Stakes and Sires' Stakes Championship. He won at Ascot Park at his second start.
The Williamson stable has Rhythmic Sun and Beyond Me in the other event for trotters today. Rhythmic Sun, also a trial winner at Cromwell after a fresh-up third to Jaccka Justy and He's My Valentine at Winton, is the backmarker on 30m.
Beyond Me was a winner at Gore nine days ago.
Christian Ruler is a bright prospect to give trainer-driver Hamish Hunter his second cup win in four days. Hunter won the Central Otago Cup on Monday with Franco Ledger.
Christian Ruler finished second to Poacher at Winton last Thursday at his third start from a spell.
Pay Me Cullen has to be considered on the strength of his third to Cracker Black and Franco Ledger in the Gore Cup on December 27.
Steven McRae, the trainer of Cracker Black, has San Rafaella in the field. She won the Equine Stakes at Winton last week in 1.54.8, her sixth win in 10 starts. Indrah won the Roxburgh Cup last year after finishing third in the Equine Stakes.
Indrah was driven by Craig Thornley, who combines with San Rafaella. The Western Ideal mare is having her first standing-start race today but she won a workout from a stand at Motukarara last month.
• Jaccka Hello, now trained by Jonny Cox at Winton, is set to resume at Cromwell on Sunday after 17 months away from racing. The winner of five races, the last four when trained by Murray Gray, Jaccka Hello broke a pedal bone when successful at his last start in August, 2010. He was raced on lease by Gray, Cox, John Cox and Brendan Franks from breeders Charlie and Ailsa Smaill.
"I have had him about six weeks. He was in work with Murray, but he felt it would not put so much pressure on the horse's legs if he worked on the bigger tracks at Winton," Jonny Cox said.
• The Northland Harness Racing Club races for a dual-code meeting at Whangarei today were abandoned due to insufficient entries.
