Classy South Islanders Sensei and Savvy Coup clash with northerners Age Of Fire and Spring Heat in the 1600m feature.
Trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman’s southern charges have already won one battle before the race even starts.
Sensei’s (4) and Savvy Coup’s (7) barrier draws have stemmed a horror run their stable has had with their recent group 1 runners.
"We have had horses running in the Levin Classic, the Derby, the Oaks and the Guineas at Christchurch and every single time we have drawn near enough to an outside barrier," Michael Pitman said.
"Every single one of those horses we have had in those group 1 races in recent time has drawn double-figure digits at the barrier."
The draws put the pair in an excellent position to pull off a rare win in an age-restricted group 1 event by a South Island horse.
Sensei steps back up to 1600m for the second time in his career after having a horror run in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas for rider Chris Johnson.
The Pitman stable is hoping for clear running so the horse can prove he can see out the distance.
"They are both chances. Sensei is the more talented of the two but the mile [1600m] is the question."
"But he did not fail in the 2000 Guineas because he got wiped out and Chris lost his irons and got wiped out again."
Savvy Coup will attempt to continue her rapid rise through the 3yr-old ranks in tomorrow’s race with Michael McNab aboard.
The pair combined to win the group 3 Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni last month.
"She has always had a ton of ability but she never had much luck earlier on."
"She has improved a lot in her racing mannerisms, which has coincided with Chris riding her."
"But we wanted riders with experience on both horses and the only way we could do that was to put Chris on Sensei."
Age Of Fire heads the market for tomorrow’s race largely off the back of his runner-up effort behind Embellish in the 2000 Guineas.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained galloper then scored in premier company at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
Spring Heat comes into today’s race booked to combine with rider of the moment Jake Bayliss.
Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will be hoping the jockey’s hot recent form will help their filly step up to group 1 company.
The pair have paired up to win the group 3 Bonecrusher Stakes and run fourth in the group 2 Eight Carat Classic in her past two starts.
