Often the forgotten horse in big races, Wanganui galloper Blood Brotha is poised to make history in the Group One Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup at Ellerslie today.
Should he win, and he has every chance to achieve the feat, Blood Brotha will be the only horse to ever win the New Zealand, Wellington and Auckland Cups treble in the same season.
In November the Danzighill 7-year-old claimed his second New Zealand Cup on end, then came out and won the Wellington up in January. Those races were almost bonuses for trainer Raymond Connors who races the horse with father Mark - his main aim all season has been the $500,000 Auckland Cup.
No doubt Connors will be after bragging rights to foot it with his uncle Neil Connors who produced Bodie to win the time honoured 3200-m event in 2003 from his Woodville base.
Raymond Connors, who operates a dairy unit just south of Wanganui at Whangaehu with his father Mark, has long said Blood Brotha comes into his own over the two mile trip.
Blood Brotha will not be lacking on the score of fitness, nor will he line up a tired horse despite being up for some time this preparation, a sentiment shared by regular rider Lisa Allpress.
"He certainly doesn't feel anything like a tired horse, in fact just the opposite," Allpress said yesterday.
"Raymond gave him a decent freshen up after the New Zealand Cup and then a few days off after the Wellington Cup and he's done very well since then.
"Now they own the old Bulls Racecourse they have their own track to work their horses on and that's been a great help.
" I offered to come down and gallop the horse the other day, but I wasn't needed, so I'm guessing everything is spot on."
Since his Wellington victory, Blood Brotha had lined up in the 2400m Avondale Gold Cup (February 17) at Ellerslie, but got too far back in the early running to finish 11th behind today's rival and pre-post favourite Sangster.
"He took a slight knock early in the Avondale Cup and just got too far back, but from the barrier (6) in the Auckland Cup I should be able to get him cover about midfield, especially with the blinkers on.
"He hasn't had the blinkers on since the New Zealand Cup and they will sharpen him up," Allpress said.
Asked if Blood Brotha was a serious winning show, the country's reigning champion jockey said: "Absolutely, he can win this. He might even come into barrier 5 with the first ballot California drawing one. Hopefully I get no further back than midfield and get his breathing and rhythm right. If that happens we're a winning show."
Allpress would love to have the Auckland Cup in her sizeable trophy cabinet. The best she has done is a third on Castle Heights several years back.