Racing: Wellington Cup plan takes Flight

Cameron Lammas and Desert Flight returns to scale after winning the Thames Cup on Saturday with thrilled trainer Richard Coxon (right) waiting for them.

This time around Matamata trainer Richard Coxon is convinced he has chilly-bin champ Desert Flight all figured out.

Despite the staying qualities the seven-year-old showed to steal the holiday circuit jewel at the weekend, Coxon isn't tempted to trek to Trentham next-up with his Thames Cup (2000m) winner.

Coxon tried the Wellington Cup option last year with Desert Flight with disastrous results.

Hot off a fighting third to Etoile Du Nord in the Marton Cup (2200m), Desert Flight reefed and teared through the early stages of the 3200m before tailing home the field, 35 lengths from winner Zabeat.

"We'll be giving that a miss this time, he just never settled in the Wellington Cup last year," said Coxon.

"I think his best distance this time will be 2000, or maybe 2200m."

Coxon, who also bred and co-owns the horse with his wife Anna, mum Norma, and brother Wayne, was pouring through racing calendars yesterday searching for another chance to prove it.

The Sky City Hamilton Cup at Te Rapa on February 4 is the likely next-up target.

But Coxon is also considering a return to Awapuni for the Rangitikei Cup the same day.

"I'm not sure if he'll have one before that - I haven't had a chance to sit back and find another race yet," he said.

Saturday's win was Desert Flight's biggest in New Zealand and his first victory since a career-high success in a A$50,000 1800m event at Eagle Farm in July.

Coxon, a dairy-farmer when he's not building an impressive strike-rate with his small team, handed over the training of Desert Flight during his Australian campaign to regular transtasman raider Paul Jenkins.

"It worked out better for me to do it that way with the farm here and other horses to train, but I still spent some time over there and learned a lot," said Coxon.

For one, Coxon knew it was time to put the blinkers back on at Thames.

And it was a move Cameron Lammas said made a winning difference.

"He gets a bit grumpy with other horses around him and eyeballs them a bit when he's not wearing one," said Coxon.

"He doesn't seem to have his mind on the job the same when he's coming down the straight."

Desert Flight needed to be focused on Saturday to fight off runner-up Avegas who looked to be mounting a winning challenge for rider Grant Cooksley near the fence 100m out.

"He got to the front a bit too soon but fought every inch to the line," said Lammas.

Avegas is now being set for the Taranaki Cup (2000m) on February 18, a race Coxon is also considering for Desert Flight.

Meanwhile, Coxon is looking forward to Desert Flight's half-sister Penultimate Flight running at Tauranga on Wednesday.

Penultimate Flight is coming off a close second to Javeon at Taupo on December 31 and Coxon said the four-year-old mare had improved sharply with the run.

"She should be hard to beat at Tauranga," said Coxon.

"We'll eventually step her up over more ground, but we'll keep her at 1600m while she's still strengthening up."

If Penultimate Flight lives up to expectations, the daughter of Pentire will continue a long-line of success for Coxon and dam Fantasy Flight.

Her progeny includes former stable star Last Flight, the winner of 12 races.