A trip north could be on the cards for the winner of the Clare Memorial Gold Cup at Omakau today.
Three of the contenders in today's open 2000m are nominated for the group 2 2400m at Trentham on January 25 - and all will make the field based on their ratings at this stage.
Winning form is good form going into a battle against some of the country's better stayers, and Darci Coup looks well placed to continue on from her success in the Waikouaiti Cup on Wednesday.
The mare gets in well at the weights, carrying only 54kg, 5kg to the better of topweight Our Bee Jay.
Yaldhurst trainer Michael Pitman has a high opinion of the Darci Brahma mare, and he will call on the services of in-form veteran jockey David Walsh once again.
''She's getting set for the Wellington Cup,'' Pitman said after her win at Waikouaiti on Wednesday.
''It's been the mission all the way through. Everything I've done has been to set her for the Wellington Cup.''
Darci Coup is joined in the Wellington Cup nominations by Our Bee Jay and Monachee.
Our Bee Jay comes in to his assignment today on the back of a front-running win in the $25,000 open 2200m at Ascot Park on December 14.
The Lisa Vaughan-trained 7yr-old has a handy draw of barrier 3 if jockey Kylie Williams looks to adopt similar tactics.
Monachee was brave running third in the heavy conditions at Wingatui on Boxing Day, and is much better suited on top of the ground.
The track was rated at dead4 last night, and two of Monachee's seven career wins have come on a dead surface.
Wingatui trainer Steven Prince has opted to put the blinkers on Ric O'Shea after his fifth in the Timaru Cup on December 28, as has Graham Dobbs with his 8yr-old, Ya Dreamin Jonesy.
