Riverton trainers Graham Eade and Brooke Kincaid are eyeing the lucrative Southern Cups Bonus with their stakes performer Riviera Rebel, and will kick-off his campaign towards the series at their home track on New Year’s Day.

The series begins in February with the Gore Cup (2000m) before it moves onto the Invercargill Cup (2600m), Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), Wyndham Cup (2000m) and culminates with the Riverton Cup (2147m) on April 19.

Points are accrued throughout the series, with the winner of each racing earning five points, three points for second, and two points for third, with the exception of the Riverton Cup, with the winner earning 12 points, runner-up six points, and third place four points.

The horse with the highest points at the conclusion of the series will be awarded a $50,000 winner takes all bonus.

Eade and Kincaid are keen to chase the southern spoils on offer with Riviera Rebel, who has been freshened following his runner-up performance over 2000m in October, and his handlers have been pleased with the way he has returned.

“He has had a break and he has worked up nicely, he is very well,” Eade said.

Riviera Rebel will jump from barrier 10 in the Dynes Transport Tapanui Cup (1200m) on Wednesday, with the distance being the only query for Eade.

“He generally flies the gates, so I don’t know whether the draw will be a problem, but the distance could be,” he said.

Eade is also looking forward to lining up last start winner Intercept in the Cecil Ferguson/Kevin Burns Memorial, and he said she has progressed well since scoring her maiden victory over 1200m at Gore earlier this month.

“She is flying,” he said. “That last run didn’t do her any harm at all. She has been working well and eating up. I am happy with her.”

Eade is also upbeat about the chances of stablemate Orepuki Gem, who will be tested over a mile for the first time in the Crowley Classic.

“We have been trying to get him up over distance because he is bred to stay,” Eade said. “It is a question mark with him as we get up in distance, but his brother, Orepuki Lad, went pretty well, so it’s just a wait and see thing.”

The stable will also be represented by Maryweka in the Pure Otago Cheeries.co.nz Handicap (1200m), The Tui Toiler in the Carriers Arms Hotel Summer Cup (2147m), Ataahua Pipedream in the ODT Southern Mile Qualifier (1600m), and Gintys Girl in the Flippn Fresh Fish/Pankhurst Sawmilling (1600m).