Those who did not get their fill on Christmas Day will be served up a mouth-watering treat at today’s Wingatui meeting.
It will come in equine form through the clash of classy mares Carnival and Starvoia.
The Canterbury-trained duo will lock horns in race 6, the listed Hazlett Stakes over 1200m.
Their brilliant recent form means TAB bookmakers could not split the pair, opening Carnival and Starvoia $3.20 equal favourites yesterday.
Starvoia goes into the race on the back of two fine wins in as many starts since resuming this season.
She dashed away from her rating 75 rivals on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup carnival, and the same in a rating 85 race at Cromwell earlier this month.
Carnival was also in action during New Zealand Cup week and delivered the toughest of wins in the group 3 Stewards Handicap over 1200m, the distance of today’s trip. She has not started since, but that does not faze her co-trainer, Kevin Hughes.
Hughes, who trains the mare in partnership with wife Pam, said Carvial was coming to hand nicely after enjoying a let-up after her Stewards win.
"She has done a little bit since she has come back and I couldn’t be happier with her, really."
"The trip down there and the race should tighten her up nicely for the Telegraph at Trentham."
Carnival is rated a $41 chance for the January 20 group 1 feature. She will need to go well today to justify a trip north and Hughes is expecting exactly that.
"I would be very disappointed if she didn’t go well."
Like Carnival, Patrick Erin is on his way to Trentham if he continues his excellent form.
That should not be a problem today, as race 3, an open handicap 2200m, looks his to lose.
Though the Brian and Shane Anderton-trained stayer will have to carry 60kg he looks to have a significant form edge over his rivals.
Bookmakers even believe he has an edge over his potential rivals in the Wellington Cup. He is the $9 fixed-odds favourite for the feature ahead of $10 chances Rock On and The Chance To Dance.
Two quality 3yr-olds are due to clash today.
Formlines from the two New Zealand Guineas races will clash when Canterbury colt Sensei meets southern filly The Sparkle in race 2.
The Sparkle was a hard-fighting fourth in New Zealand 1000 Guineas and Sensei, who was forced wide, was fifth in the 2000 Guineas. Jacob Lowry will ride The Sparkle and Chris Johnson is on Sensei.
