Ric O'Shea and The Solitaire have headed north in search of the thick end of the $230,000 stake.
Ric O'Shea's trainer, Steven Prince, believes the O'Reilly gelding's preparation has been much improved on 2012, when he finished 13th in the race.
Prince was still weighing up whether to run the White Robe Lodge handicap winner in the Coupland's Mile two weeks ago but owner Andy Denham convinced him to give it a crack.
''The owner was keen to run him in it and I was pretty happy in the end,'' Prince said.
Ric O'Shea warmed up for today's 1600m with a slashing second at Winton in early October and a perfectly useful 5th in the Coupland's Mile trial at Riccarton on October 26.
''He pulled up good after Riccarton the last time. He walked out of the barriers for some reason, and they came home for that last 600m in 33 and a tick, but he came home pretty good.
''He's had a good preparation and he's really well. His work's been really good and I'm really happy with him.''
Prince has engaged leading Palmerston North jockey Hayden Tinsley for the ride, and Ric O'Shea will jump from barrier 9.
''It'd be nice in a perfect world if he'd drawn seven or eight.
''He doesn't race right in behind the speed or otherwise he gets up, pulling. Hopefully [Tinsley] can work him out in the first 100m.''
The Solitaire has impressed her trainer, Steven Anderton, enough to take her place in the group 2 feature, and the presence of Final Touch, Coup Ay Tee and Thorndon Mile winner Historian has helped the O'Reilly mare in the weights scale.
''It brings me down to 56kg - I think I had 58kg last year [when The Solitaire finished fourth],'' Anderton said.
''She gets in well with the weights and she's drawn barrier 8 so she should get not a bad run from there.''
Anderton is relying on the fact she is forward enough for a battle against some of the country's top milers.
''Last year, we won a race going into it, whereas this year we probably just went an OK fourth at Ashburton last start. I suppose we're hoping she has lifted to the next level.''
Anderton has The Diamond One in the listed Canterbury Breeders' Stakes, and he is impressed by the quality of the field. The Diamond One has been faultless in her two starts this season and will jump from the wide gate of barrier 16.
''As long as she can slot in somewhere midfield and get a bit of cover, she's shown she's got a not bad turn of foot.''
The Otago hopes don't end with the Coupland's Mile and the Breeders' Stakes. Wingatui horseman Paul Richards has Natuzzi primed to take on Coup Align, Durham Town, King Montrose and Pegasus Stakes winner Irish Fling in the Stewards' Stakes over 1200m.
The Lightning Stakes winner had a solid exhibition gallop at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup day after Richards opted to keep Natuzzi on a light racing programme before today's race.''
He just went 800m with Our Santana for a nice hit-out. He soaked up some of the race-day atmosphere [at Wingatui] so that brings him on as well.''
Richards will leave the riding tactics up to jockey Chris Johnson, who gave Richards good reports after the track gallop.''
He's run a bit of time at Trentham [in the Lightning Stakes in March] - there's no reason why he shouldn't run any good.''
