Ashburton trainers Bevan and Robyn Wilson will head south to Kurow’s iconic meeting on Tuesday where they will have a two-pronged attack in the West Coast Steeplechaser Kurow Cup (1400m).

Seven-win gelding Royal Valour will head into the race second-up after a disappointing first-up performance where he was slow away at Cromwell last month and he was playing catch-up throughout.

The Wilsons are putting that run behind them and they are hopeful of an improved showing this week.

“It (last start) was pretty disappointing, he just didn’t want to go,” Bevan Wilson said. “He didn’t miss the jump, he just didn’t want to go, and he has done that before unfortunately. Hopefully we will get going a bit better this time.”

While hopeful of a better start, Wilson holds reserved expectations heading into Tuesday, believing his charge will need the run.

“He is probably just going to need a bit more racing,” he said. “It took him a while to get going last year and he doesn’t seem to be as effective on the country tracks for some reason, but we need to get going and it isn’t a bad opportunity. A bit of sting out of the ground will certainly help him as well.”

Royal Valour will be joined in the race by stablemate Victorian Charm, who won two trials last month before he contracted a virus.

“We had a bit of a setback, a wee virus, after his last trial,” Wilson said. “Although he hasn’t missed too much work, we did have to back off a little bit. That is a little bit of a concern, but up until then we were really pleased with how he was coming up.

“We are hoping he will go a good race, but we realise he will probably need the run.”

The Wilsons have yet to finalise a summer campaign for each of their geldings, but a tilt at the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age (1600m) at Wingatui in February could be on the cards for Royal Valour.

“We are not thinking too far ahead, we are just going to see how they go,” Wilson said. “Winter is more their time of year but we didn’t want to be putting them out for long periods of time either.

“I would like to think Royal Valour might be able to go to the White Robe, that would be the A plan. He will just have to put his hand up, that’s all.”