Waikouaiti mare Zedaam was on her best behaviour to help trainer Amber Hoffman notch her best win of her thoroughbred training career when winning race 3.
North Taieri mare Crispin had her mind on the job when beating a competitive line-up in race 8.
Zedaam did what half-sister Lizzie L'Amour could not do on the past two Boxing Days.
Lizzie L’amour ran second in the group 1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie in 2017 and 2018.
Zedaam did not quite hit those heights at Wingatui yesterday, but she did enough in her 2200m victory in rating 72 company to earn herself a tilt at the South’s biggest staying race.
"I think we might have a crack at the Dunedin Gold Cup with her," Hoffman said.
"There are not that many races around for her and with her pedigree she deserves a go at it."
Zedaam is a temperamental horse who tests the patience of all of Hoffman’s staff.
Basic procedures, such as getting shod, turn into a full military-style operation because of the mare’s highly strung nature.
Zedaam did not take that kind of attitude on to the track during yesterday’s race.
The mare settled well in the trail behind a very slow speed for rider Terry Moseley, who has struck up a winning combination with the mare after getting aboard to win at Ascot Park two starts ago.
Wingatui apprentice Corey Campbell rode the 5yr-old before that and had a big influence on the highly strung mare.
"Corey did a huge job with her and taught her a lot and got her settled.
"He deserves a lot of credit.
"He couldn’t ride her at Invercargill, so Terry got on. Terry has ridden her really well and he gets on with her, too."
Moseley notched his 1101st career win in New Zealand aboard Zedaam.
Win No1100 came when the veteran Canterbury jockey produced a brilliant ride aboard Macron in race 1.
Macron was midfield and wide early before Moseley sent the Barbara Verlinden-trained galloper on a searching run around the field to find the lead.
The move proved to be a winning one and Macron went on to score by nearly two lengths in the 1400m maiden.
Like Zedaam, White Robe Lodge mare Crispin can test the patience of her handlers.
However, the Brian and Shane Anderton-trained 6yr-old only brings out her wayward antics on race day.
Crispin wore earmuffs before race 8 and went to the barriers early, in an effort to keep her calm before her rating 65 event over 1600m.
The Raise The Flag mare was clearly still in a good mood when she ran to a strong win for rider Corey Campbell.
"She gets fizzed up at the races — at home she is good," Shane Anderton said.
"She has got the ability, but it is all in her head.
"On the big days, like at Cromwell, where there is a lot of noise coming from everywhere, she gets too worked up."
