Trainer Richard Otto left Ellerslie smiling on Melbourne Cup day.
Otto knew his class stayer Mandela was close to winning form again.
Mandela had just finished a terrific third to Zabeat over a too-short 1600m, which set him up perfectly for a crack at tomorrow's $100,000 Eagle Technology Counties Cup.
"We rode him back at Ellerslie and he settled beautifully," said Otto. "It was a crawl around and a sprint home and he did well to finish third after having to change ground twice in the run to the line."
Mandela looked one of the country's best emerging stayers as a 3-year-old last season and should be in for a big summer, even though Otto believes he is still a year away from his best.
Kerry O'Reilly is the short-priced early favourite for the Counties Cup, but Mandela has the class to be a realistic threat.
He displayed his potential when chasing Xcellent home in the Derby last Boxing Day, then a month later successfully reverting to 1600m in stakes company at Trentham.
Mandela can produce a long, sweeping finish and should be ideally suited to the long home straight.
Mistrale could be the upsetter.
Trainer Murray Baker says he would have preferred to get one more preparatory race into the mare - she has had only one race since a spell - but does not count out a competitive performance.
"She's on the improve and had a barrier trial the other day, so she's getting there."
Baker said he would prefer to see some rain for his other runner, Grace And Favour.
The interesting runner is Floydeboy. Trainer Bernard Dyke is looking for an excuse to spell his hardy performer, but Floydeboy keeps turning in top performances since a troubled Melbourne campaign.
He won over 2100m at Te Rapa two starts back and caught the eye with a fast-finishing third at 1600m behind Millennium at Tauranga last week.
