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Talented northerner Tide And Time will make her southern debut for Krystal Williams at Reefton on Wednesday, taking on the Vernon and Vazey 0800 Truck Parts Reefton Cup (1400m).
Tide And Time was previously in the care of Williams' father Kenny Rae, of whom she trained in partnership with until the beginning of this season. The daughter of Time Test made the long journey south to Williams' base at Burnham off the back of a tidy trial placing at Ruakaka in mid-December.
"She came down just before Christmas," Williams said.
"I was part of the early stages in her training, the breaking in and things like that. She's been a lovely horse right from the start that was always going to take a bit of time, but she's a really nice staying prospect."
The mare will look to continue her strong form into a new campaign, having won or placed in her last four starts, including taking out a competitive ITM/GIB 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) back in July.
Highly-rated galloper Will Power Lad has compressed the handicap, meaning the remainder of the field will carry 54kgs, with Leah Hemi engaged to ride Tide And Time out of the ace barrier.
"It's a fresh-up run for her and we've got bigger plans later on into March, but we should see a nice run from her," Williams said.
"She's an honest horse and tries her heart out."
Rageese filly Sheaintsopeachy will chase her elusive maiden in the Greg Daly Real Estate (1400m), having narrowly missed to Lillian at Ashburton before taking on a competitive Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) last start.
"She got the wobbles a little bit at the end of that race (NZB Insurance Stakes), stepping up to 1400m and the heavy track was a bit tricky," Williams said.
"It's been so far, so good since then with her, the track should suit her a lot better at Reefton."
Stablemates Charm Manhattan and Manali will go head-to-head in the Fahey Contracting (1020m), the former coming off a third-placed effort at Omoto on Sunday.
"I was happy with that run, he drew wide and we're unlucky to get another bad draw (11) on Wednesday, but the distance suit him and so will the track," Williams said.
"Both him and Sheaintsopeachy are coming to the end of their campaigns, they'll have a nice break after this."
Another progeny of Time Test, Manali pleased his trainer on debut at Timaru, after a wide draw forced him four-wide without cover early.
"I have a lot of time for this horse, he has solely come to the Coast for the experience and to grow up a little bit, I think I'm going to have a nice horse in the future," she said.
"He went into that run with no trial after they kept being called off with a lack of numbers, he drew wide and was very green, so I was very happy with the way he stuck on and ran with little knowledge.
"He's come here, he's eating everything and he's probably been the best behaved horse of the team we have here, so I'm hoping to see a more mature run from him."
Williams and her team of horses will continue onto the Kumara meeting on Saturday, one that holds fond memories with stable stalwart The Buffer having won the iconic Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m) two years ago.
"The people over here are very accommodating, the clubs at all of these country meetings really look after you," she said.
"I do it because my kids enjoy it, and until they're old enough to say they don't want to do it anymore, I'll keep coming, because that's what we do as our holiday even though we've got a big team of horses.
"It's what they've always known, it's what we've always done, so we just make the most of a working holiday really."