The 7yr-old mare has spent much of her career with Victorian trainers and brings excellent form in strong Australian staying races in to the 3200m Ellerslie feature.
Etah James’ co-owner Mark Lupton has taken over the official training of the mare, who has been rated a $10 chance in betting this week.
Lupton told Trackside television the chance to net a group 1 win was what lured him and his fellow owners to New Zealand for an Auckland Cup tilt.
"We were going to leave her in Ballarat and take her to the Adelaide Cup.
"But Adelaide is only a group 2 and this is a group 1.
"So, we thought we would bring her home and get a bit of group 1 on the pedigree page."
Etah James showed she has settled back into her country of birth with a slashing run in the Avondale Cup behind Polzeath and Auckland Cup rival Platinum Invader.
Lupton said he had simply kept Etah James in the condition previous trainer Matt Cumani had her in before the mare crossed the Tasman.
"Matt sent her home in amazing condition and I have had to do is tick her over.
"I have done nothing special — if she wins the Auckland Cup it will all be down to Matt."
Etah James went to Australia in 2017 unraced, and quickly showed her promise as a stayer.
"She went over there with four slow trials under her belt and won five of her first seven starts," Lupton said.
Etah James’s form in Australia includes a key reference for tomorrow’s feature.
The 7yr-old butted heads with the Australian-trained second favourite Azuro in the Sandown Cup in November.
Though Etah James was beaten into fourth behind the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained galloper, the result could have been different.
"She ran fourth in the Sandown Cup, a race that wasn’t run to suit her, and flashed home, and in another 50m she might have got him," Lupton said.
"He is a quality staying horse and if he handles Ellerslie he will be hard to beat. But I have a lot of confidence in our mare.
"She will be going good at the finish where a lot of them will be stopping."
The Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained 7yr-old Sound also brings Australian form to the Auckland Cup.
The Irish-bred stayer ran a creditable 12th of 24 in the Melbourne Cup before a fifth in the Sandown Cup behind Azuro.
Though they are New Zealand-trained stayers, Big Mike and The Good Fight also bring form around quality Australian races to the Auckland Cup.
Rather than be taken by Australian form, punters have stuck with Central Districts galloper Platinum Invader as top pick.
The Lisa Latta-trained 4yr-old has been rated $3.50 Auckland Cup favourite this week ahead of Azuro ($5), Sound ($6), The Good Fight ($10) and Etah James.
