North Taieri trainers Brian and Shane Anderton will roll out a huge 19-horse team at their home track at Wingatui today.
"The wet early spring is the reason some of them have been a bit slow coming out this season," Brian Anderton said.
"We had a lot of horses that were not suited to the wet tracks we had earlier on."
The Andertons will be at their busiest when stepping out four horses in race 5.
Direct Flight and Phyllite produced good efforts when third and fifth, respectively, when they last raced on a heavy10 track at Oamaru on October 23.
The draw advantage puts Direct Flight (7) and Phyllite (8) ahead of their stablemates, Index (14) and Eavesdrop (10).
"I would expect Direct Flight and Phyllite to go good races. They both went very well at Oamaru," Anderton said.
"Index is a nice horse, but I think the draw might beat her."
The White Robe Lodge stable looks to have its most powerful attack of today’s nine-race card in race 4.
It steps out emerging galloper Outram, as well as course specialist Taieri Gem and the talented Crispin.
Outram goes into the 1600m rating 72 race after finishing strongly for fourth behind Summer Monsoon in a strong line-up at Cromwell earlier this month.
"It was a good run at Cromwell, because he had to be ridden upside down a bit to take the gaps when they came," Anderton said.
"He will be much better back home on the big track; he will be able to get out and balance up.’’
Taieri Gem was comprehensively beaten by Outram in the same race.
She has shown signs she is ready to add to her strong record of two wins and eight placings from 17 starts at Wingatui.
"Taieri Gem has never worked better in her life," Anderton said.
"She went a shocking race on the wet track at Oamaru first up, but she ran on quite well in her last start at Cromwell."
Crispin went an excellent race first up but then ran a shocker in her last start at Cromwell.
There was no obvious explanation for the performance.
The Anderton barn has three horses in race 8, a 1400m maiden race for fillies and mares.
Despite drawing barrier 11, Verdigris gets the nod as the stable’s leading hope following her strong debut for fourth at Oamaru.
"Verdigris was a heck of a run at Oamaru. She got a way back last and ran home really well. We are expecting her to go a nice race."
Joemar and Opal Fire will resume in the same race.
The Andertons start their day with Clutha Queen and Raise Ya Five in race 2, a maiden 2200m event.
The trainers will also start Mossy Creek and Tony Two Chips over the same distance in rating 72 company in race 3.
Wardofthestate and Melanite start over 1600m in race 7, for maiden horses.
The Andertons have good chance of winning race 6, despite having just one runner.
Cabernet, who was unlucky in several runs last season, resumes over 1200m in a race for maiden and one-win horses.
