KEY POINTS:
Less than two months ago Cambridge trainer Paul Duncan convinced Matt Cameron to move north from his Taranaki base to work for him as stable rider.
At Ellerslie this afternoon the pair face off as arch-rivals in the $200,000 City of Auckland Cup.
Cameron rides second favourite Willy Smith and Duncan will produce the similarly well-fancied So You.
The extremely talented pair could well fight out the finish.
Cameron is riding Willy Smith because So You already had Michael Coleman as her regular rider when the former champion apprentice arrived from Taranaki.
Cameron is sufficiently talented to do well in the more competitive environment in the Auckland and Waikato area and a win in today's feature would be a magnificent springboard.
He had his first ride on Willy Smith when the big rangy stayer flashed home for a half-head second to one of his rivals today, Valley Chief, over 2100m at Te Rapa nine days ago.
"He felt terrific," said an impressed Cameron.
The key is the additional 300m today. Willy Smith is strong and can power home off a fast pace and 2400m provides him with every opportunity to have a crack at the leaders late in the race.
Mark Todd had a setback early in the preparation when Willy Smith broke free and fell on the road, but the last-start second showed the Cambridge trainer has made up the leeway.
The No2 barrier draw looks good on paper, but perhaps a few spots further out would have been more ideal for such a long-striding stayer.
Being caught back along the rail when the leaders sprint is probably not where Willy Smith needs to be. His best efforts have been when pulled out into the clear for an unobstructed run at the leaders.
So You disappointed a few when only third to Bak Da Chief in the Waikato Gold Cup.
It wasn't that it was a bad run, simply that her finishing effort lacked the usual dash. Duncan and Michael Coleman feel that dash may have been blunted by So You's tough run over 2400m for second to Ceejay under 57.5kg at Ellerslie at her previous start.
Duncan believes the mare has freshened nicely. "I haven't had to do much with her because she's just so fit. She's very fresh and bright."
This is one of the most open major handicaps we've seen in 12 months.
Counties and Manawatu Cup winner Chettak is up 2kg from winning the first of those two races and that won't make it easy, but he is a smart, genuine stayer who fights very hard when tackled as he showed last start.
At $16, Australian-trained mare Upstaged looks the value bet.
She has a lot of positives around her. She dead-heated for second with Aftershock and behind Sharvasti in the Avondale Cup. Sharvasti was not entered for this and Aftershock was the favourite before a leg problem pulled him out of the race on Friday.
With the jump to 2400m suiting Upstaged, you can make a case that she is the one to beat.
And don't forget Ntamack, who would have beaten Chettak in the Counties Cup if he'd run straight.
* Casa De Campo will achieve the biggest successful rise in class to win a major race in years if he can pull off today's City of Auckland Cup.
The rapidly improving Cambridge stayer goes into the group two race having won a Rating 76 race at his previous start. His only start outside R76 class was a narrow R83 victory at Avondale on December 9.
Casa De Campo will be ridden by Lisa Cropp, who became available when a leg problem ruled out Aftershock.
