Several horses who caught the eye will line up on the track at the meeting a week tomorrow or at the Wingatui Boxing Day meeting.
Only a nose separated the Brian and Shane Anderton-trained pairing of Heberite and Cabernet in an 800m maiden heat.
The two 3yr-olds broke away from their rivals by five lengths and signalled they are on track for their debut starts in eight days.
Their stablemate, the 3yr-old Mossy Creek, also impressed with her win in maiden company over 1000m.
The daughter of Vinery Stud stallion Casino Prince ran strongly to the line a length in front of another of the Andertons' charges, Flag Duty.
Steve Tyler unleashed an impressive 2yr-old winner in a 600m heat for inexperienced gallopers.
The Onceuponatime-Look At Moi filly, who is a full sister to Our Teddy Boy, ran away to win by four lengths.
The filly is likely to start at next Friday's Wingatui meeting, Tyler said.
Our Teddy Boy is on target to resume on Boxing Day. The horse has recently recovered from a virus which was detected after his last-start flop, when he finished down the track as favourite on Melbourne Cup day, the trainer said
A handful of yesterday's heat winners, including an impressive winner from Rodd McKenzie's Winton stable, are not likely to race until the new year.
McKenzie's unnamed Gallant Guru colt from Quion won in the fastest time of yesterday's three 1000m heats.
The 3yr-old gelding was likely to have another jumpout before heading to the races, but that would depend on how he came through yesterday's run, McKenzie said.
The Anderton-trained Satin Guru and Newsflash won yesterday's open heats.
Satin Guru looked sharp over 1000m, a distance well short of his best. He held smart winter performer The Man by a length at the finish.
Newsflash, one of the stable favourites, looked just as sharp winning an 800m open heat.
The horse and runner-up, Waylay, are both unlikely to race until the tail end of the Otago summer racing circuit, Brian Anderton said.
Waylay, who has not raced since August, has had her preparation set back by hoof problems.
An Alamosa colt from Sacred Steps, trained by Jo Cottle, and a Falkirk filly from Sudders trained by the Andertons, won the remaining two heats.
Results.-
Heat 1, inexperienced, 600m: Falkirk-Sudders, D Kennedy 1. Per Incanto-Anza Belle 2. Given The Chance 3. Trainer: T Kennedy. Time: 38.0sec. 2L, 3L. Four started.
Heat 2, inexperienced, 600m: Onceuponatime-Look At Moi, S Muniandy 1, Flag-Turn The Page 2, Raise The Flag-Riley Brook 3. Trainer: S Tyler. Time: 37.9sec. 4L, ns. Four started.
Heat 3, mdn, 800m: Alamosa-Sacred Steps, S Muniandy 1, Impossible 2, Tony Two Chips 3. Trainer: J Cottle. Time: 47.8sec. 1½L, 1½L. Three started.
Heat 4, mdn, 800m: Cabernet, J Lowry 1, Heberite 2, Julitte 3. Trainers: B&S Anderton. Time: 48.9sec. Hd, 5L. four started.
Heat 5, open, 800m: Newsflash, C Campbell 1, Waylay 2, Ablaze 3. Trainers: B&S Anderton. Time: 48.6sec. Hd, ¾L. Four started.
Heat 6, mdn, 1000m: Mossy Creek, C Barnes 1, Flag Duty 2, Sparky 3. Trainers: B&S Anderton. Time: 1.02.1. 1L, 3L. Five started.
Heat 7, mdn, 1000m: Gallant Guru-Quion, C Campbell 1, Hole Lot Of Rosie 2, Pour Moi-Lagodiva 3. Trainer: R McKenzie. Time: 1.01.6. 1L, 10L. 4 started.
Heat 8, open, 1000m: Satin Guru, S Muniandy 1, The Man 2, Dream Rich 3. Trainers: B&S Anderton. Time: 1.01.8. 1L, 1L. Four started.
