Racing: Glamour girls on the improve as Cup looms

The chances of New Zealand's two best pacing mares meeting in the New Zealand Cup again this season are improving by the day.

Last season Mainland Banner downed Alta Serena in a race which was to define the open class season - the former becoming the champion, the latter the perennial bridesmaid.

But last week they both turned into walking wounded as they hit judder bars on their road to this year's $500,000 Cup on November 14.

Mainland Banner's problems were by far the more serious, with fetlock injuries putting her Cup defence in doubt while a stone bruise saw Alta Serena withdrawn from the feature race at Alexandra Park last Friday.

Those setbacks, with last week's results, saw Mainland Banner drift from an opening quote of $3.20 to $4 in the New Zealand Cup market while horses like Roman Gladiator, Myron and Tribute have all shortened significantly.

But the men behind Mainland Banner and Alta Serena say they are a lot happier with their glamour girls this week.

Trainer Robert Dunn has been pleasantly surprised by the improvement Mainland Banner has shown since some intensive veterinary treatment last week was followed by her starting a beach training regime.

"She has taken to the beach really well and she is striding out a lot freer in her work than she has been for quite some time," said Dunn.

"Last week I thought she was about 50-50 to make it to the cup but now I think she might be about 75 per cent to be there.

"I will know a lot more in about two weeks when she has had some hoppled work but I am feeling better about how things are going."

Dunn admits he is still likely to only get one race start into Mainland Banner before the cup, with the Ashburton Flying Stakes on October 23 his target.

"It is the ideal target because it is three weeks before the New Zealand Cup and that would give us time to work on anything we think isn't right after that.

"And the Ashburton track is ideal for a comeback, size-wise and with its softer surface than Addington."

Such was Mainland Banner's dominance if she does make it to the Flying Stakes she would only need to finish in the first half of the field to be almost guaranteed starting as Cup favourite.

Among the pacers she will be giving a 10m start in the Cup is Alta Serena, whose campaign should get back on track at Alexandra Park on Friday.

She missed last Friday's feature race after picking up a stone bruise soon after a public workout at Pukekohe last Tuesday.

"She was a bit proppy on it later in the week so it wasn't worth risking her," said co-trainer Brian Hughes.

"But she has improved over the weekend and I think she will be all right for this week.

"In saying that she has missed a bit of work so I can't see her being at her peak for this week."

Three Australian trained pacers remain in the New Zealand Cup nominations but it appears the outsider of the trip, Cobbity Classic, is the most likely to make the trip.

The stayer looks better suited to the rigours of the travelling and racing style of the cup than his stablemates Be Good Johnny and Slipnslide, who are likely to stay in Australia and target the Miracle Mile, a race they quinellaed last season.

"It is still very dependant on travel but Cobbity is definitely the most likely," said stable representative Luke McCarthy.

Beating the odds

* Outstanding racemares Mainland Banner and Alta Serena suffered setbacks last week.

* Their trainers are a lot happier with their condition now.

* Mainland Banner is responding well to her new beach training regime.

* Alta Serena meets a hot field at Alexandra Park on Friday night.