A busy weekend is in store for Masterton couple Ray and Geri Southey who will be on course at Trentham on Saturday and then off to Auckland to see their mare Chrysolite race in the Westbury Stud New Zealand Made Stayers at Ellerslie on Sunday.
Southey is one of the iconic Wairarapa racing names going back generations and the couple, who own Chrysolite in partnership, are hoping she will prove successful enough to write another chapter into the family's racing memoirs.
Chrysolite has notched up two excellent wins, at Tauherenikau in November and at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.
The Ellerslie win was especially meritorious as the mare drew wide which, in 2100m races, is far from ideal as there is only a short run to the first turn.
Unfortunately, the mare's Sunday draw is also a shocker.
Chrysolite has drawn 19, but is likely to come in a few spaces due to the field being a capacity one and with the six emergencies having all drawn inside her.
She will be attempting to again win over the Ellerslie 2100m under special conditions as was her January 1 win.
On her side is the fact trainer Mark Oulaghan has told the owners that the mare has been working well this week, she has the best rating (71) of all runners and will again have the services of Lisa Allpress.
Another plus for the couple should the daughter of O'Reilly win, is the stake of $30,000, a third more than the money on offer in her last win.
Mr Southey said a win at Ellerslie could help with mapping the mare's future programme which he believes could include a start in the New Zealand St Ledger.
"But that will be over to the trainer," he said.
On Saturday all Wairarapa eyes will focus on the sole runner lining up from a local stable at Trentham.
Liv'n Paradise is entered in the Douro Cup, a Rating 85 over 1600m.
A winner of three from 14 starts Liv'n Paradise has shown owners, the Yeah Right syndicate and trainer Roger Allen, enough to earn her the right to be called handy at the very least.
Her form has been a bit erratic of late, a factor that could perhaps be related to the track conditions as the mare has started on all types of ground, faring best it seems on dead going.
Her win two starts back at Awapuni was quite decisive in the hands of Darryl Bradley but back on the same track a month later she finished in the body of the field.
Form followers should, however, notice that she was less than six lengths from the winner Say No More and was not disgraced.
Having a sweet draw and the services of much under-rated jockey Mark Hills, the mare could give her rivals a real run for their money.