Emerging Waverley trainer Erin Hocquard will have her first taste of black-type racing when her stable star Spencer lines up as favourite in Saturday’s Listed Sinclair Electrical & Refrigeration Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth.

Hocquard has trained 13 winners since taking out her licence in the 2016-17 season. Five of those wins have come from Spencer.

A maiden winner on the Opunake Cup undercard last year, Spencer added another victory to his record at Awapuni in the spring. But he has gone to a new level this autumn and winter, winning all of his three starts in impressive style.

The Derryn gelding kicked off his campaign with a potent finishing burst to take out the $50,000 Autumn Sprint Final (1200m) at Trentham on May 25, then captured another Rating 75 sprint at Otaki on June 8. He stepped up into open class at Hastings on June 29 and delivered more of the same, edging out Opunake Cup rivals Samoot and Old Town Road by a neck and a neck.

Spencer gets into Saturday’s $100,000 on the 53kg minimum weight and is rated a $4.60 favourite by the TAB. He will be ridden by Lisa Allpress, who boasts a perfect three-from-three record with the talented four-year-old.

“He just keeps stepping up to the plate,” Hocquard said. “He’s probably a bit stronger in this campaign than he was before, and he’s got a bit of confidence in himself now. That seems to be just growing with every race at the moment.

“I’ve just been taking it race by race with him in this campaign, but the Opunake Cup has probably been in the back of my mind for a little while. He’s done really well since his last start win at Hastings and seems to be very happy with himself at the moment, so there’s no reason not to have a go at it.

“Going up to 1400m won’t be a problem – he’s won over that distance before (at Awapuni in September). I think going back to New Plymouth might be an advantage for him too, because he actually scored his maiden win at this meeting last year.”

Spencer is also nominated for the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on August 3, for which the TAB rates him a $10 chance. Aljay and Jay Bee Gee are the $7 equal favourites, with Opunake Cup runners Belardo Boy and Bradman both at $8.

Hocquard’s other runner at New Plymouth on Saturday is Our Sassie Anne in the UBP Ltd (1100m). The four-year-old mare finished second at Wanganui last start, beaten by a nose by Rosesrred.

“She started looking around a little bit towards the end of that race, which might have cost her a little bit,” Hocquard said. “I’ll put blinkers on this time, which should hopefully help.”