Riccarton trainer David Walsh will take a strong line-up to Ashburton on Saturday, including stakes-performed colt Cool As Bling, who will be seeking further black-type in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m).

While still a maiden, the son of Hello Youmzain has shown plenty of promise to date, placing in four of his five starts, including runner-up behind Zafar in last season’s Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m).

Cool As Bling, who holds a nomination for next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), pleased with his first-up placing over 1400m at Riccarton a fortnight ago, and Walsh has been happy with his progression.

“He has improved a bit with the run and I am quite happy with him,” Walsh said. “He has got a good gate (1), so I hope he gets a nice trip in behind a few. He has always been crying out for more distance, so it should suit him.

“I went out and had a look at the track yesterday and they have put plenty of water on it, so that is good.

“He is nominated for the 2000 Guineas, so he will be needing to show something tomorrow.”

Stablemate Toa Haka is also on a path towards New Zealand Cup Week next month, where he is nominated for the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m), and he will take his next step towards the feature when he lines-up in the McCrea Painters & Decorators Ashburton Cup (1600m).

“He is still on the improve,” Walsh said. “His coat is a little bit behind and is probably the most backward of any horse in the stable. They will just come right when they are ready.

“He is working well and had plenty of miles in his legs, he just needs another run or two to get him towards the TAB Mile. He is up in the weights but gets a couple off, which is a bit of a help. He is coming along well and whatever he does he will improve with the run again.”

Walsh is also hopeful of a bold showing from Graeme John in the GD Jones Salute (1200m), where he will carry just 51kg with the assistance of apprentice jockey Tom Wigram’s three-kilogram claim.

“51 kilos makes a big difference,” Walsh said. “But it is a strong field and there are some good horses in there. With these open races, every race is like a Listed race, it will be the same horses running in the Stewards’ (Listed, 1200m) come Cup Week.

“He is a go forward horse, but there is a bit of speed in that race. I would like to see him get a sit in behind a couple, if possible, he has done the donkeywork quite a lot. He has won from behind before so it would be nice if it was a true run race and got a sit in behind.”

Walsh will have a two-pronged attack in the Cochranes Of Canterbury (1400m) courtesy of debut winner Stortford Lodge and Dorothea, who has placed in her last two outings.

“Stortford Lodge went really well,” Walsh said. “It wasn’t a very strong field that she beat, so she has got to step up for this one. She has got a tricky draw (13), so you have just got to hope for the best.

“Dorothea has improved further and has done really well. Fourth run up she should be peaking. She has got a bit of an average draw (9), but she likes to go forward and race up near the pace. I expect her to run really well.”

Stablemate Phazed was victorious second-up in the Agraforum Growing Innovation (1400m) on Riccarton’s synthetic track last month, having returned from a 12-month hiatus, and Walsh is looking forward to testing the former Australian on the grass for the second time.

“She comes off a poly win,” Walsh said. “We have only ever given her one run on the grass and that was a year ago and she wasn’t quite right after it.

“She had a kissing spine operation and that’s why she had so long out, but she has come back well, she is nice and bright. She has got a bit of a tricky draw (10), but she is a very genuine mare, she tries hard and hopefully she gets a reasonable run so she can show what she can do on the grass.”

Rounding out Walsh’s seven-strong Ashburton team will be debutant Kemosabe in the Agraforum Comcat (1400m)

“He is a nice horse,” Walsh said. “He works well enough to be competitive if he does things reasonably okay.”

Meanwhile, Walsh said stakes performer Zelia is back in full work following a spate of bad luck.

A promising juvenile, Zelia won two and placed in two of her five starts as a two-year-old, including runner-up in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton in April last year.

“She has had a lot of bad luck,” Walsh said of the now four-year-old mare. “She came into work last winter after a break following her two-year-old year and was good and then went lame - she had a fractured pedal bone, which took a long time to come right, so we have given her extra time.

“She basically had six months in a box and then she was out in the paddock for three or four months. She came back into work and then got kicked by another horse in the paddock, which was another bit of a hold up, but she is back in full work now.

“She has had a long time off, so she will have a good steady build-up and maybe look to be racing in the new year sometime.

“She is sound and has grown and filled out quite a bit, she is quite a decent-sized horse. The time hasn’t hurt her, but hopefully things go right and all her bad luck is behind her.”