KEY POINTS:
Canterbury trainer Kevin Hughes is unconcerned that Dimondsontheinside has not won a race in her New Zealand Cup campaign.
Hughes said there had been a couple of factors against the 5-year-old mare in five starts this season but he was confident she was peaking for the group two Cup at Riccarton today.
Dimondsontheinside began racing this season much earlier than last term and Hughes said poor weather had not helped her cause.
"She has been a bit slow to come up this time," Hughes said yesterday. "But with the weather being so damn cold, my horses were just holding off in their coats. They just needed some sunshine to get them cracking."
He said he had found there was not an ideal programme of races in Canterbury to prepare for the Cup. "With meetings being cancelled and the weather, it wasn't the ideal preparation."
One of her best races was a strong-finishing fourth to cup rival Coup Triumphal in the $50,000 Spring Classic (2000m) at Riccarton on October 14.
Last Saturday she finished fourth in the group three $70,000 Metropolitan Trophy Handicap (2500m) at Riccarton.
She was 5 1/2 lengths from the winner, Cup favourite Pentathon, but Hughes said it was an encouraging trial after getting well back in the running.
"It took a while for her to get clear but I thought she let down and found the line very, very well."
"The first three had skipped away by that time; she had nothing to latch on to to bring her into the race."
Hughes said Dimondsontheinside had worked well this week and he was looking forward to a top showing today.
He said hot favourite Pentathon, trained by John Wheeler, was the one to beat. "John's horse is going to be tough ... "
- NZPA
