Brian Anderton, a doyen of South Island racing, celebrated his 89^th birthday on Thursday, and the Wingatui horseman is hoping he can collect some late birthday presents this weekend.

The White Robe Lodge principal will be chasing Group success in the North Island on Saturday after sending eight-win gelding Mayor Of Norwood north to Trentham to contest the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m).

Anderton, who trains in partnership with his son Shane, said the seven-year-old son of Ghibellines has handled the marathon trip with aplomb and has settled in well ahead of his weekend assignment.

“He has travelled terrific and has eaten up well,” he said.

Mayor Of Norwood heads into the two-mile feature in good form, having won his last two outings, both over 2200m on his home track.

He has only been tested over 3200m once before, finishing 14^th in the 2024 edition of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup, and distance remains Anderton’s biggest query ahead of Saturday.

“He is like a lot of the others, he has got to get two miles,” Anderton said.

Anderton is looking forward to testing his gelding in the North Island for the first time, where he will jump from barrier one and carry 56.5kg with Corey Campbell aboard.

“He has done all he can down here as far as weights go,” he said. “He has great owners and he has been handled very quietly in the first part of his career and he has risen to the occasion.”

Closer to home on Sunday, Anderton will send half a dozen runners to Gore, including promising three-year-old fillies Assemble and Golden Spirit, who will both contest the Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m).

Homebred Almanzor filly Assemble has shown plenty of ability to date, placing on debut over 1200m at Gore last month before winning her maiden over 1300m at Wingatui a fortnight ago.

Golden Spirit, who is by White Robe Lodge resident stallion Ancient Spirit, met her stablemate in both outings, finishing runner-up on both occasions, and Anderton said they will likely adopt different tactics with her this weekend.

“Assemble has done well and the other filly (Golden Spirit) has done well too,” he said. “Golden Spirit over-raced a bit here (Wingatui) in that maiden race, we might ride her a wee bit forward and use her speed a bit.”

All going to plan, both fillies are set to follow the Southern Guineas Series, which will head to Ascot Park on February 14 for the Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1400m) before culminating in the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Dunedin Guineas (1600m) at Wingatui a fortnight later.

“That is our ambition at the moment, it is a very good series,” Anderton said.