Wairarapa gelding Times Ticking has an affinity with the South Island, and he will be looking to extend that record when he heads to Riccarton on Saturday.

The eight-year-old son of Tavistock has won three of his seven starts in the south, including the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), Listed Easter Cup (1600m), Banks Peninsula Cup (1800m), and was third in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m) at Wingatui in February.

He will return to Riccarton this weekend where he will attempt to defend his crown in the Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup, where he has drawn barrier four and will be ridden by Tina Comignaghi.

Owner-breeder-trainer Alby MacGregor has the luxury of staying with his son near Rangiora during his southern stints, and said his pride and joy thrives in that environment.

“He is down in Christchurch now with my son. He has been down there for a week or so,” MacGregor said.

“He has had a fair bit of success down there and he seems to thrive down there. My son is at Rangiora and he has a little farm there and he seems to enjoy it.”

Times Ticking heads into Saturday in good form, having won the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m) in January before his White Robe Lodge placing. He was then seventh in the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) at Trentham a fortnight ago, which MacGregor said has brought him on nicely for Saturday’s title defence.

“He needed that run,” MacGregor said. “I was quite happy with it. He whacked away. He is probably not a 1400m horse nowadays, but he had to have something to blow the cobwebs out.”

MacGregor said he Times Ticking will likely head for a spell at his son’s property following Saturday’s run.

“After the weekend he is going to have a break for a little while and we will work it out from there,” he said.