PHOTO
Racegoers got the extra treat of seeing Southern stars Tommy Tucker and Coulee gallop between races at Gore on Friday.
The opportunity for the two horses to accompany trainers Brian and Shane Anderton's racing team to Gore and take to the track meant the gallop was the perfect hit-out for this stage of the pair's preparations.
``Just through lack of trials and all that, we thought we would take them down there and get a bit of extra work into them,'' Shane Anderton said.
``They are headed towards Riccarton [feature races]. We are just trying to get them forward enough to get there.''
The wettest of winters, abandoned jumpouts and having no trial meetings in the province has put most Otago trainers behind where they want to be with their horses and the Andertons are certainly part of that group.
So much so that Tommy Tucker is behind his schedule to be ready for the Coupland's Mile on the Wednesday of New Zealand Cup week.
However, the stable is not panicking about that and may chose to line the horse up in another race if he is not ready to run the strongest of 1600m races.
``We are not going to push him to get him there, he is still nominated for the Coupland's Mile.''
``There is another nice race for him on the second day if he is not forward enough. We don't want to cook him to get him there, if he he is not ready''
Now a 9yr-old, Tommy Tucker is not showing any signs of slowing down as he prepares for his seventh season on the track.
``He went well [at Gore]. He doesn't know he is any older. He is probably a bigger than he was last year and a bit stronger. He is coming along nice.''
Coulee also impressed in her Gore gallop as she prepares for the group 3 Canterbury Breeders' Stakes at Riccarton over New Zealand Cup week.
Her trainers are undecided on what her lead-up racing programme will be into the race, but will make more concrete plans in the coming days.
Patrick Erin is ahead of his two star stablemates in having already had a start this season, running a slashing race for third behind Passito over 1200m at Gore on Friday.
``That was a good run. He hit the line really strong. I couldn't have been have more happy for him.''
The Andertons are yet to decide on specific targets for the 6yr-old for New Zealand Cup week, but have singled out a big race target for him beyond that.
``We will pick a race out there, but everything going right we wouldn't mind having a crack at the Wellington Cup.''
Premier Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy has been confirmed as star New Zealand mare Bonneval's rider in the Caulfield Cup.
Underwood Stakes-winning rider Hugh Bowman cannot make the mare's 52.5kg weight, and Damian Lane, who rode the mare to win the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, is committed to Humidor.
Lane is expected to reunite with Bonneval in her final Caulfield Cup lead-up race in the Caulfield Stakes on October 14.
McEvoy was in line to ride Hartnell in the Caulfield Cup, but his Bonneval booking has left trainer James Cummings needing to find a new jockey for his 7yr-old in the $A3 million ($NZ3.26 million) feature.
Bonneval's trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forman have confirmed Stephen Baster, who rode Jon Snow to win the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley on Friday, will ride the horse again in the Caulfield Cup at 54.5kg.