"That was a huge run and he would have been harder to beat if he had drawn better," Herbert said. "If he went particularly well [today] he could go down for the cup at Awapuni in a couple of weeks.
"It would be spell time after that and we'll have him back in the spring to target some better races."
Meanwhile, memories of a former stable star will be revived when Tats The Go makes her debut in the Prima Park & Trees Tavern 1200.
The three-year-old is out of a three-quarter sister to the 2003 NZ Horse of the Year Tit For Taat, whose five group one victories also earned him champion three-year-old, weight-for-age and sprinter honours.
"She's pretty talented, but it's hard to label her as she's a newbie and maiden races are hard to win at Matamata," Herbert said.
- NZ Racing Desk