Wingatui galloper Shantav has set a tough act for his stablemate Baranoo to follow at on their home track today.
Shantav was an emphatic winner of the Gore Cup on Saturday, handing trainer Barbara Verlinden the biggest win of her career.
Even before the home turn, there was little doubt the Gore Cup would be heading home with Verlinden.
Shantav and rider Tanya Jonker ran to an emphatic 10 and a-half length victory in the $35,000 feature.
Verlinden said Shantav seemed like he was ready to run a big race when he arrived at the Gore racecourse.
''He came off the float just knowing what he was doing,'' she said.
''He was feeling extra grumpy, which obviously means that he knew what he was there for, and I thought he would go quite well.
''I wasn't expecting him to go that well, though - but it was good.''
Steady rain fell during Saturday's meeting and that only boosted Shantav's chances.
All of the galloper's seven wins have come on tracks rated between dead and heavy.
Four of those wins have come at Gore.
''He has been racing well; he likes the track it really suits him.
''I think that little bit of rain on the day, just to soften that track up, really helped him.''
Shantav is raced by a large group of owners, many of whom are based in Otago.
Steady rain in the wider Dunedin area is set to have an impact on the condition of the track at Wingatui today.
Verlinden does not believe Baranoo will enjoy the conditions as much as Shantav would.
The 7yr-old will start for the third time this season following a long break of 20 months away from the races.
''I think he will go a bit better when the track is not too wet, so we will see.''
Baranoo needed his first up hit-out at Wingatui last month.
He put in a good performance second up when running third to Why Not at Wingatui on New Year's Day.
''He needed his first run, just to wake up to it a little bit.
''His second run was really good and Terry Moseley was quite happy to ride him again.''
The depleted Wingatui riding ranks have been filled by visiting North Island riders at today's meeting.
Apprentices Zubair Bholah and Corey Campbell are both out of the saddle with injury.
Bholah was involved in a nasty accident on the West Coast circuit earlier this month.
The apprentice has improved during recovery from his injuries and was transferred from Christchurch Hospital to Dunedin Hospital this week.
Shankar Muniandy's departure to Malaysia leaves a hole in the senior ranks.
Leading northern jockey Samantha Collett, who is third in the national jockey premiership, has eight rides today.
Fellow northern riders Leah Hemi and Dylan Turner will also ride at Wingatui today.
