Bookmakers moved Red Sierra into favouritism for next month's 1600m group 3 feature when she ran to her third victory in her past four starts.
David Haworth, who trains the mare with daughter Emma at Foxton, announced his plans for Red Sierra after her win.
"She will head to Christchurch for the Winter Cup as her next assignment," he said.
"She looks like she's not finished yet. She gets to the furlong [200m] and seems to find another couple of gears."
Red Sierra was moved into $5 odds for next month's $100,000 feature.
Deals In Heels and She's Poppy are at $6 with Dez behind them as the $8 fourth-favourite for the race.
Red Sierra's effort in Trentham's testing heavy11 track conditions was as impressive as any of her recent runs.
The mare appeared to struggle to gather momentum at the top of the straight, but wound into her work and cruised to the line with her ears pricked.
Ridden patiently by her regular pilot, apprentice Charlotte OBeirne, Red Sierra strode past a gallant Perfect Harmonee to score by a neat length in the rating 85 1200m race.
Haworth admitted he had had some concerns about the testing nature of the Trentham track.
"I thought she would struggle.
"I had a good look at the track and took Charlotte out and we both had a good look at it. To Charlotte's credit she rode her exactly how I asked her to.
"She's a funny little thing [Red Sierra] but she keeps doing the job so you can't ask any more."
Dez added his name to the Winter Cup conversation when he won the 1600m Whyte Handicap.
Though he is highly fancied by bookmakers for the Riccarton feature, he is not a guaranteed starter.
Trainer Simon Wilson said he would not be making an immediate decision on a trip to South with Dez.
"We'll just see what happens. We'll get home [Waipukurau] and evaluate but we could possibly look that way."
Dez may need to win or place again to seal a Winter Cup start. His Whyte Handicap win moved him from 28th to 18th on the order of entry for the race.
Dez finished determinedly along the inner for jockey Darryl Bradley to grab victory on Saturday from Hand It To Jonesy by a long neck, with Rosewood a head away in third.
"He put it all together today in conditions that suited him," Wilson said.
"He always seems to hit a dead spot at the 600m mark and I thought we were in a bit of trouble, but he just kept coming and giving along the inside.
"He was lucky it opened up for him along the inner and it worked perfectly. He's been well rewarded with the win today."
Bradley was full of praise for Dez's effort.
"I was warned about him hitting a flat spot, so I knew what was going to happen. When he did I was able to pick him up and get him going again.
"He fought extremely well. This horse has done a good job."
The victory took Dez's record to four wins from just eight starts. Two of those wins have come in this campaign following a two and a-half year break due to a tendon injury.
- NZ Racing Desk
