Cup in range of Red Sierra

Foxton galloper Red Sierra has thrived since arriving at Riccarton for her tilt at tomorrow's $100,000 Winter Cup. Photo: Peter Rubery
Foxton galloper Red Sierra has thrived since arriving at Riccarton for her tilt at tomorrow's $100,000 Winter Cup. Photo: Peter Rubery
Foxton galloper Red Sierra can cap her perfect preparation with victory in tomorrow's group 3 Winter Cup at Riccarton.

Everything has gone exactly to plan for the David and Emma Haworth-trained mare this winter and the trainers hope that will continue in the 1600m feature.

''She has taken everything in her stride so far this season. It is pretty exciting, really,'' Emma Haworth said.

Red Sierra arrived in Christchurch on Wednesday and has thrived at Riccarton since then.

''She travelled really well,'' Haworth said.

''She ate like she has been at home and I have been really pleased with her.''

''She worked great [yesterday] morning. She just worked around with Hand It To Jonesy really quietly, so she is all set for Saturday.''

Hand It To Jonesy is the third ballot for the Winter Cup and needs scratchings to gain a start and give the Haworth stable a second runner.

Red Sierra has one mark against her going in to the race. She has been tried only once over 1600m and failed. But in that race she was trapped three wide on a good track.

The prospect of tackling that distance again, this time on rain-affected ground, does not concern her trainers.

''We are not too worried. The way she races she indicated to us she would get a mile [1609m]. She just likes to settle and then run home, so I don't think the mile will worry her at all,'' Haworth said.

''There's a big, long, roomy straight at Riccarton so she has plenty of time to swoop round them and come home from further back.''

The only slight concern is that Red Sierra has drawn barrier 4.

''We probably would have preferred to be a little a bit wider. Just the way she runs she doesn't like to be crowded, but it could have been worse.''

Red Sierra's main rivals, Dez and She's Poppy, have proven mile form.

Dez was a strong winner over 1600m at Trentham in his last start after being unlucky in his previous race at Awapuni.

The Simon Wilson-trained galloper is weighted nicely with 53kg, the same as Red Sierra.

She's Poppy will carry 55kg.

She was tested over distance in the New Zealand Cup in her last campaign but has been in excellent form over shorter distances this winter.

The possibility of rain and the downgrading of the Riccarton track from slow to heavy would boost her chances more than those of her two main rivals.

The South Island contenders in the Winter Cup are led by Oamaru Cup winner Elfee.

The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained mare's chances in the feature took a hit when she was handed barrier 22. She should come into barrier 17 with scratchings.

The draw is far from ideal for Elfee, who carries 55.5kg, and likes to sit handy to the pace.

Elfee ran sixth in last year's cup behind the returning champion, Nashville.

The evergreen Central Districts campaigner faces similar circumstances to those he faced in last year's race.

He has the same 60kg handicap and the same rider, Kate Cowan.

Nashville should come in to barrier 16 with scratchings, two spots out from where he started last year.

The 10yr-old has had two cracking lead-up races.

He was a brilliant winner of the Amberley Cup, also over 1600m, at Riccarton on June 23, then ran a ripping sixth in the Opunake Cup (1400m) on July 21.

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