It has taken a while for Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie to find the right horse for the Gore Guineas - 19 years in fact.
But he is confident Zaperb will measure up when she takes her place in the $50,000 listed feature tomorrow.
Ritchie came south with his father, Frank, in 1995 on a successful mission with The Hyatt, who won the Southland Guineas.
''It was great southern hospitality and I always wanted to find the right horse to send down again,'' Ritchie said yesterday.
''You really do need a unique horse who travels well and holds a bit of condition before it goes. Otherwise they turn up and look like a scarecrow in the birdcage when they go for that long, and they're an embarrassment not an advertisement for you.''
Zaperb's last start was a third in the group 3 Eulogy Stakes over 1600m at Awapuni on December 14, but Ritchie feels the mile is slightly beyond her best distance.
''I think she battled a little bit at the 1600m last time and the 1335m [Gore Guineas] and the 1400m of the Dunedin Guineas will suit her better. These could be the right two styles of races.''
Ritchie hopes to augment the group 3 placing with a listed win tomorrow for his owners Chris and Carol Chamberlain, also of Cambridge.
''The owner is a breeder - he's looking to develop a broodmare band. These two races are a great opportunity.''
Ritchie admits he is struggling to line up Zaperb's form, and his knowledge of recent South Island form is bare at best, although he stressed that was not due to a lack of respect for the other horses.
''It's impossible to work out - to be perfectly honest, I'm not a form student by a long way, but I haven't heard of a horse in the race. There are a couple of trainers I have great respect for though whenever they campaign a horse in the North Island.
''Her northern form is pretty strong and I'd like to think she'll take it down to the South Island.''
Ritchie is not able to make it to Gore tomorrow due to commitments in the North Island, but he convinced the Chamberlains to travel south to enjoy the southern hospitality.
''I'd love to go, and if it was any other time of the year, I would.
''I've had six days of yearling parades, I've got a horse in the Karaka Million and another one in the Wellington Cup.''
