Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman are looking forward to heading south to Kurow on Monday where they will have a two-pronged attack in the meeting’s feature, the Kurow Cup West Coast Steeplechaser (1400m).

Both Zoulander and Epee Beel head into the race in good form, with the former having won over 1300m at Ashburton earlier this month, and the latter heading into Monday in a fresh start after finishing runner-up over 1400m on her home track last month.

Rain is forecast at the North Otago meeting, which brings mixed fortunes for the Pitman pair.

“A wet track certainly won’t worry Epee Beel, she loves it,” Michael Pitman said. “There is nothing else to suit her, so it is an ideal race for her tomorrow and Kylie Williams rides her.

“She hasn’t drawn the best (10), but I am guessing there will be more than one scratching, so we will see what happens.

“Zoulander is probably best on a firm track, but at this stage, hopefully the track won’t be too bad.

“The forecast is for rain overnight, and it was a Soft5 this (Sunday) morning, but it is a really good raceday surface that they have at Kurow. The farmers know what they are doing. I will probably start both of them.”

All going to plan after Monday, the pair are set to cross the Island next week to tackle some West Coast features.

“Zoulander is a grouse old horse, he has done a good job for us,” Pitman said of the eight-win gelding. “Graeme Rogerson has still got a share in him and when he sent him down, he said if we get him right we will have some fun with him, and we have, he has done a great job.

“He is going to the Reefton Cup (on January 8), while Epee Beel may go to the Miss Scenicland at Greymouth.”

The stable have a big team entered for Kurow, and Pitman has identified Movie Girl in the Phil Hogan Memorial (1400m) and Our Sallyann in the Commodore (1400m) as their other two leading chances.

“Movie Girl had 60 kilos the other day, which is just too much,” he said. “Our Sallyann, she has always shown ability, and she is probably in the right race tomorrow in race three.”