Riverton trainer Stephen Blair-Edie is hoping Christmas comes early when he takes his quintet of runners to Gore on Sunday.

The Good Shepherd will spearhead his charge on the Christmas Eve meeting in the Dynes Transport Limited Tapanui Cup (1335m).

The six-year-old gelding takes two placings into the meeting and his handler is hoping he can improve on those results this weekend following a short freshen-up.

“He takes some good form into the race, and a bit of weight unfortunately,” said Blair-Edie, referring to his 60kg impost.

“Two starts back he carried 7.5kg more than the winner, so that speaks for itself. The other day with the tearaway horse in front of him, he had done the work and then Henry Hubber sat on his hindquarter and let him do the work. He wasn’t far away.”

Blair-Edie is opting to keep his charge closer to home over the summer in the hope of finding more forgiving ground and believes he should be very competitive on Sunday.

“He doesn’t really like the firm going but down in Southland we have got a lot more chance of getting a bit more give (in the ground) than further up the Island,” he said.

“He had a couple of days off and was pretty alert this morning when he worked. He is not going to have to pull his feet out of the mud, so let’s hope he can glide over it with 60 kilos.”

The Dennis brothers-raced The Motivator is set to make his debut for the stable in the Advance Agriculture Rating 65 1335.

Previously in the care of Canterbury trainer Ross Beckett, the son of Zacinto joined Blair-Edie’s barn a few months ago with a view to racing in front of his Southland owners.

“I have been friends with the D boys for a long time. They don’t normally farm their horses out, so I took it as a compliment getting the horse,” Blair-Edie said.

“He has got southern owners, so they were keen to see him run in Southland. I have had him for over three months.

“He went in a jumpout the other day against some open class horses. He ended up winning that. He is just a bit lazy away. He is a big horse. I would like to see him win that if he can.”

Blair-Edie will also line-up debutant The Wild Colonial in the White Robe Lodge Maiden 1200, Sunset Express in the Forest Lodge And Hokonui Honda Maiden 1335, and Keep It Loose in the Road Transport Logistics And Tapanui Four Square Maiden 2000.