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Matamata conditioner Glenn Old holds a strong hand going into the Powerworx Greys at Pukekura Raceway on Saturday with Our King Sway.
However there does remain a question mark about the topweight’s fitness leading into the 1400m race.
The Gr.3 Platinum Homes Taranaki Cup winner hasn’t favoured the wet conditions over winter and has been plagued by feet issues in the lead-up to his campaign.
“We’ve had a couple of mishaps with him with his feet,” Old said. “He’s got really flat feet so they have been stone bruised all winter.
“So we are not 100 per cent of the way there yet, I’d say we’re only 80 per cent ready. But it’s a small field so you’d think he’d be in the money anyway.”
The showy grey finished seventh in his first up run in the Telperion Trophy (1200m) at Hastings earlier this month and Old said he should take some improvement from that run.
This year’s running of the race will see a drop back in distance from a mile and that should suit the Shinko King gelding second-up according to his trainer, but the underfoot conditions will do him no favours.
“He’s not that good on a heavy 11, but he has won on a heavy 10, but he is pretty versatile so he should get some traction.”
Old will aim to have Our King Sway fully fit for a tilt at the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m) on October 14.
Meanwhile, he has every bit of confidence that stablemate Renminbi will clear maiden company on Saturday when he lines up in the Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Maiden over 1300m earlier in the day.
The Darci Brahma gelding has impressed Old with his trial win at Avondale last month and his runner-up performance behind Vin De Dance on debut.
“He looks a pretty progressive maidener, so he should be a big chance,” he said. “I think he has got a little bit of upside, so we are pretty confident.”