Negus, now based back in Burnham after several years at Waikouaiti, travels to the Washdyke track with arguably his two most talented pacers.
Quick As A Trick had an excellent 3yr-old season, collecting five wins, but Negus warns the son of Lis Mara could be slightly underdone in the $10,000 Timaru Summer Cup.
''It's probably questionable whether he's had hard enough workouts,'' Negus said.
''He won them pretty easily, but he hadn't run any time and he didn't beat anything of any real note,''Some of those [rivals] have been racing over cup week and they're going to be quite a bit fitter than him, but I would have said fully fit with a good run, he would be pretty hard to beat.''
Quick As A Trick's standing-start manners are also up for assessment after two failures last year at Waikouaiti and Wingatui.
''He was slow away both times,'' Negus said.
''He circled the field a fair way from home and was found wanting - that's the worry about the stands for him. If he doesn't go away on terms, he's got to do a lot of work to be in it, and he's probably not quite ready for that.
''I think he can win it, I really do. He's a very good horse, but he does need to go away on terms, and that's a question mark.''
Negus has placed the big 4yr-old on the unruly with the hope a lack of horses crowding him in front will relax the pacer.
''He's actually quite a good beginner, but he panics a little if he's amongst them. He's gone away both times good at the trials, but in each case he was on his own off 10m.''
Quick As A Trick's getaway will determine where Negus heads with him next.
''If he goes away, I'll concentrate on country cups with him because that's where the good money is for a horse of his class. If he doesn't go away, he'll look for mobiles and in fact, there's one next week for junior drivers at Addington. But if he goes away, I'll keep him to stands.''
Delightful Dash (race 11) is more screwed down than her stablemate after three starts in this campaign, including an unlucky eighth at Addington last week.
''She was stuck on the fence with nowhere to go, and a little late out getting a clear run at them, so we were pretty happy with how she found the line.''
Veteran driver Colin De Filippi will take the reins after regular pilot Dexter Dunn opted to drive Mr Franklin, but Negus expects Delightful Dash to push forward from her No 4 barrier draw.
''She's got a lot of gate speed so I'm quite sure she's not going to have any excuses in this race.''
The pair's goals for the season are based on earning enough money to get into the Harness Jewels at Ashburton in May.
''I don't fancy taking either of them up to Auckland over Christmas because the country cups and other races down here aren't worth a lot less and it's quite a costly venture to get there.''
