Tauherenikau racing last Monday soaked up most of the Wairarapa interest with a fair representation from local trainers, and a winner in Jack's Boy, trained by Alby MacGregor.
So, our representation at Manawatu tomorrow is sparse to say the least.
Nevertheless in the major race of the day, the Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup, Martinborough-owned Vosne Romanee will try to capture some of the $85,000 on offer.
Owners Ian and Alana Smart, and trainer Jeff Lynds have re-affirmed their faith in the gelding, convinced he has more to come regardless of being a 9-year-old.
Vosne Romanee is a millionaire, having won well clear of that magical amount in stakes and, for all that, has been fairly lightly raced.
He has secured nine wins from 46 starts and, although his last three efforts have been only fair to middling, a good showing here would not surprise.
Lynds has opted to keep last-start jockey Matthew Cameron as the pilot, a young man who has a reputation as a strong and heady rider.
The draw has been kind and for a group race the opposition is not formidable, although the northern pair Guns at Five and Better Together cannot be taken lightly.
In the opening race of the day the Smarts/Lynds combination have Nuits St Georges entered.
This fellow is a bit of an engima as he never runs a bad race but - to coin a phrase - has proved to be a bridesmaid rather than a bride.
Nuits St Georges has won a single race from his 12 attempts but has been runner-up four times and third placed on two further occasions. Tomorrow could well see him back in the winner's circle, especially as he will benefit from having glamour rider James McDonald aboard.
McDonald seems to have a mortgage on the winning post and must be regarded as one of the top young jockeys in the world.
The weather forecast looks unlikely to produce rain for the central districts but if some moisture was to fall then that would only aid Nuits St Georges' chances.
In race two Opaki trainer Grant Nicolson is pinning his hopes on Sins Of The Father.
The gelding - from a Centaine mare - last appeared at the races in early December but a forward showing can be expected.
Sins Of The Father has had only four starts and has knocked at the door on all of them, without clinching a win.
His best effort was at the Masterton meeting at Tauherenikau in mid-November, over 1400m, the same distance he is competing at here.
Although not locally trained a runner of interest is Noah Jon in race 6, a rating 75 over 1400m.
This young gelding is trained at Tokoroa by John Mason, formerly from Wairarapa and owned by the Falconer family that has connections to Carterton.
A winner last start in heavy going at Rotorua, Noah Jon has also won on dead going and is untried on good footing.
Noel ("Handbrake") Harris rode him to win at Rotorua with a typical swooping ride and has the mount again tomorrow.
The draw will be no help, however.