Patrick Erin on target for Trentham

Patrick Erin and Chris Johnson charge past Flag The Groom, Motorboat Mike and Dee And Gee at Wingatui yesterday to cement his favouritism for the Wellington Cup. Photo: Jonny Turner
Patrick Erin and Chris Johnson charge past Flag The Groom, Motorboat Mike and Dee And Gee at Wingatui yesterday to cement his favouritism for the Wellington Cup. Photo: Jonny Turner
Look out Trentham, look out the Wellington Cup.

That was the statement race favourite Patrick Erin made with his freakish performance at Wingatui yesterday.

The Brian and Shane Anderton-trained stayer produced a huge finish to win after being in what looked like a hopeless position in the home straight.

Runner-up Motorboat Mike looked to have the 2200m race to himself as Patrick Erin was buffeted by other runners as he tried to make his way into the clear.

But once Chris Johnson had the favourite into open space the horse produced a finish that had to be seen to be believed.

And Patrick Erin did it with 60kg on his back - 6kg more than any of his rivals.

''It was a good run with that weight, to give him that start halfway down the straight and pick them up,'' Johnson said.

''He is a very nice horse.''

To say the win signalled Patrick Erin was right on track for his tilt at next month's cup is almost an understatement.

''I don't know what he ran that last furlong [200m] in but it would have been incredible,'' Brian Anderton said.

The stylish victory was Patrick Erin's last run before the 3200m Wellington Cup on January 20.

''He is going to be a few days getting there, so I think we can keep him up to scratch.''

Victory shaved $1 off Patrick Erin's Wellington Cup odds, from $9 to $8.

Johnson may have his Wellington Cup ride locked and loaded, but which mount he takes in the group 1 Telegraph the same day is a completely different question.

Starvoia, trained in North Canterbury by John and Karen Parsons, strengthened her claims for the 1200m Trentham feature by winning the listed Hazlett Stakes yesterday.

Johnson plotted a path around the field to secure victory after not being able to slot into a more favourable spot in the running.

''I was stuck out wide a little bit and I went to go forward and I could not get around Signify and then ended up going back behind him.

''With the light weight I decided to get going early. We might have got to the front a little bit early - the second horse came quick - but she hung on.''

Timy Tyler and rider Kevin Kalychurun put in a big finish to almost cause a boilover, but came up a nose short.

Starvoia is the eighth-equal favourite with Sensei for the Telegraph at $14.

Sensei, the flashy colt with rock-star looks, also took another big step towards next month's race.

The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained 3yr-old produced an effortless win.

The victory means the Pitman barn are considering progressing the horse through to the Telegraph. It could serve as a chance for group 1 redemption after Sensei's luckless run in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

''Chris [Johnson] is adamant he lost 15 lengths on his way around in the 2000 Guineas and he got beaten seven lengths,'' Michael Pitman said.

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