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Palmerston North trainer Mike Breslin will give two three-year-olds their chance to press claims for staying Classics when they race at Trentham on Saturday.
Breslin will produce Sweepstake and Stephenstihls in the Norbrook Laboratories 3YO Premier (1400m), hoping to use the race as a launching pad to the Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) back at Trentham on March 18 and Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 4 respectively.
Both youngsters campaigned with credit at Canterbury through the spring, with the Per Incanto filly Sweepstake following her impressive Waverley maiden win with a fourth placing in the Listed Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton and third placing in the Gr.1 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, both times chasing impressive winner La Diosa.
"She had a couple of weeks off after Riccarton and she's been working really nicely," Breslin said.
"Probably the only thing was we were hoping to have a jump-out at Awapuni last week but that didn't happen, so she just hasn't had that final tune-up. I'm not worried though. She'll run well.
"After this one, she'll return to Trentham for the Desert Gold Stakes on the 28th and then we'll map out a suitable programme to get her to the Oaks. So long as she shows us she'll stay we'll press on. She's given us every indication she will and she's got a lot of stamina on the female side of her family."
Breslin is just as confident that Stephenstihls will excel over ground, the Smart Missile gelding claimed his maiden win over 1600m at Riccarton after finishing second to Hall Of Fame in the Guineas Trial (1400m) and Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m), both also at Riccarton.
"He's been a bit slow-learning - and still is - but I've got no doubt he'll stay. He had three races in Christchurch that culminated with a good win and the long trip away has done him a world of good," Breslin said.
"He's still in the Derby and while he's still got to prove himself, we think he's a genuine stayer and we're keen to give him that chance. He's a few lengths off the top ones at the moment but that can change over 2000m and further."
Breslin said Stephenstihls was likely to head to Ellerslie on January 29 for his following start, possibly in the Karaka 3YO Mile but more likely in the special conditions 1600m race, chiefly with a view to getting him accustomed to the track where the Derby is held.
Breslin rates his other pair at Trentham on Saturday - Prosecco and Dandeedee - as winning chances.