Like most trainers at this time of the year, Stephen Marsh has spent plenty of time studying weather forecasts as he prepares to launch a ten-strong team from his Cambridge stable at the Rotorua race meeting on Sunday.

Cambridge trainer Shaun Phelan took special satisfaction from an all-the-way win by Pacheco in the $60,000 Poverty Bay Turf Club Cup (2600m) at Taupo on Friday.

Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Wolfgang will return to New Zealand after finishing at the tail of the field in Saturday’s Gr.3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington.

Kiwi jockey Masa Hashizume will step onto the Flemington turf for the first time this weekend when he attempts to qualify Bulls gelding Trav for next month’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Wolfgang, who races as Mister Wolfgang in Australia, will get his first opportunity to earn a golden ticket into the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he heads to Flemington on Saturday.

Cody Cole is keeping his options open with talented three-year-old Landlock as wet weather threatens to halt his initial plan to contest Saturday’s Gr.2 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Te Rapa.

Stop The Water also impresses with his trial win on soggy track