Ascend The Throne scored his first stakes scalp when triumphant in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa earlier this month, and the Savabeel gelding will look to double his Guineas haul when he heads to Ellerslie on Saturday.
With more than a dozen runners on Saturday and a similar number again on Boxing Day, the Te Akau Racing team is barely going to have a chance to catch their breath over the Christmas long weekend.
Consistent stayer Dionysus provided Roger James and Robert Wellwood with a positive end to a tough week when scoring a fighting victory in the Gr.3 SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) on Saturday at Te Rapa.