Saturday’s Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) meeting is the highlight of the racing season for Ruakaka, and local trainer Kenny Rae is hoping to repel the invaders coming from south of the Brynderwyn Hills.

Rae has more than a dozen horses entered across seven of the eight races on the card, including Eliza James in the $100,000 three-year-old feature.

“We’ve got 14 runners, or 15 if you include the one we’re looking after for Eamonn Green (Leitrim Lad), so I’m hoping we’ll have a good day,” Rae said.

Eliza James kicked off her career with a win and a fourth at Riccarton in September and October of last year. The daughter of War Decree then spent the rest of the season on the sidelines before resuming with a third placing behind Cashla Bay at Ruakaka on August 2.

“I’m very happy with the horse and I thought that was a great run first-up,” Rae said. “But the thing with her is that she’s coming back after having nine or ten months off, while some of the others might have had only two or three. So we’re playing a bit of catch-up.

“She’s doing everything right and going the right way, but she might still be a week or two short of peak fitness. I probably would have saved her for another race if this one wasn’t on her home track.

“But there’s nothing wrong with the horse at all and I’m not saying she can’t win.”

Dancing Dream, who was runner-up behind Crocetti in the Northland Breeders’ Stakes in 2023, was a last-start Rating 65 winner two weeks ago and will shoot for a repeat result in the Harcourts Whangarei (1400m).

“I think she’ll go very close again,” Rae said. “Michael McNab rode her last time and had a prior commitment to another horse in this race, but that horse didn’t end up paying up. I’d already booked Wiremu Pinn by then.

“This mare’s a course specialist who’s going really well. She should be a nice chance.”

A similar description applies to Illicit Dreams, who will contest the Hello Youmzain-Champion NZ First Season Sire (1400m). The Vancouver mare has had eight starts at Ruakaka for two wins and six placings, including a second and a third over 1400m in her last two starts on June 28 and July 12.

“She meets a stronger field this time and 1400m does test her a little bit, but she has fitness on her side and she’s never been out of a place here,” Rae said. “She should be very competitive again.

“These open handicaps can be a bit hard to win, but she gets in nicely with the topweight (Habana) giving her 8kg.”

Rae also has a number of chances on Saturday’s undercard.

“I thought Richie’s Dream ran a really good race the other day, and she’s been working well,” he said. “Tide And Time is in great order as well, I just think the race wasn’t run to suit her last time – they walked and sprinted and she got too far back.

“Our maiden mare in the first (Miss Seth) is very nice and genuine and won’t be far away again.

“We have four maidens in the second race, but they’re mainly there because I’d rather run them at home on decent ground than take them over the Brynderwyns to trial on a heavy track.”