The pair were an unstoppable force in the autumn, winning the Canterbury Gold Cup and Easter Cup at Riccarton before Wynne was forced out of the saddle with knee problems.
Wynne has bounced back from her injury and a subsequent suspension with a run of good form at the South Island’s Christmas meetings. She will attempt to carry that on with one of her favourite horses, who makes his return from a spell for trainers Tony and Lynn Prendergast.
Judging by his fresh-up record and his strong recent trials, Who Dares Wins can help Wynne continue her momentum.
“Whatever he does will improve him, but we are really happy with him,” Tony Prendergast said.
“Before he had his last trial he was 588kg and his normal racing weight last year was around 560kg.
“We weighed him this week and his is down to 562kg so he is getting pretty close to where he needs to be.”
Who Dares Wins won an 1150m trial at Rangiora in late November, before running second to Thunder Bay over 1200m at Riccarton earlier this month.
The 7yr-old’s strong fresh record includes his win in last season’s Easter Cup.
That victory also came in the same circumstances he enters today’s event — resuming in a 1600m listed feature with two trials under his belt.
“He goes pretty good fresh, so we are pretty happy with him going in to Timaru really,” Prendergast said.
“And getting Sam back on him is part of the key to him.”
His 60kg topweight means Who Dares Wins gives away a weight advantage to all of his rivals.
They include early favourite Ticket To Ride, who carries 55kg with rider Kylie Williams. Ticket To Ride was backed from $5.50 to $4.50 win odds after the Timaru Cup market opened.
Who Dares Wins ($5.50), Son Of Maher ($5.50), He Kin Fly ($6) and Monza Circuito ($6.50) have been rated closely behind the Andrew Carston-trained mare in an even market.
Southland outsider Wild Jack has been rated at big odds of $17 to go one better than his second placing last year’.
The 7yr-old was just a neck away from the ill-fated Boots ‘N’ All in last year’s race.
Wild Jack was fifth behind smart types Picture Me Rollin and Kilowatt in his last start over 1600m at Ascot Park.
- Additional information for meetings today.—
Matamata RC
Riders
Race 3: Satin Ruby — S Weatherley (a0.
Race 5: Cenghar — S McKay; Kylie Bax — M McNabb.
Race 8: Felix Faure — no rider.
Scratchings
Race 2: Encantador, Oscar Eighteen.
Race 3: Pipsqueak Rose.
Race 4: Witchery.
Race 6: Age Of Fire.
Race 8: Uabasse.
Weather, fine; track, dead5; rail, out 7m.
South Canterbury RC
Riders
Race 1: Shock And Awe — T Moseley; Spindleshanks — C Johnson.
Race 2: Mister Mocha — K Asano (2.5).
Scratchings
Race 1: Quintuple Quins.
Race 2: Visconti, Montreux Miss.
Race 3: Middaguard.
Race 4: Bi Ying.
Race 6: Nicole Ashley, Bi Ying.
Weather, fine; track, dead4; rail, true.
