Photo: Trish Dunell
Last start Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) winner In A Twinkling will be vying for Group One glory at Ellerslie on Boxing Day when he lines-up in the Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m).
The Jamie Richards-trained gelding finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) behind Crown Prosecutor last year, and he has subsequently added back-to-back Counties Cup victories to his record, however, a victory at elite level still eludes the five-year-old.
Richards is happy with his charge in the lead-up to Saturday’s feature, where he will jump from barrier two with jockey Opie Bosson aboard.
“He is in good shape,” Richards said. “He went to Ellerslie and had a gallop up there and worked really well, for him.
“He is on track, but whether he is a weight-for-age horse or not we are not sure yet.
“If there is no tempo he will be up on the speed and he can give a bit of a cheek.”
TAB bookmakers have installed In A Twinkling as a $13 sixth-favourite for Saturday’s race, behind Rock On Wood and Concert Hall, both at $4.20.
In A Twinkling will likely back-up at the Auckland track a week later in the Gr.3 SkyCity City Of Auckland Cup (2400m).
Bred by Caradale, In A Twinkling was purchased out of Curraghmore's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock draft for $250,000. -NZ Racing Desk
