Having trained winners of the three feature jumps races during his career, the two major flat races have eluded Maher - namely the Sungold Milk Warrnambool Cup and Wangoom Handicap but by Thursday night a Cup may be on the mantelpiece.

Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace has South Pacific, Heart Of Puissance and Sky Horse running in the $250,000 Cup. The Winslow-raised trainer rates Heart Of Puissance his biggest chance of winning the listed race.

"I've never had many runners in the cup to be fair but it's a race I've always wanted to win," he told The Standard.

"Heart Of Puissance is the best chance I've had to win the cup. He's been set for this race.

"We just had to find the most suitable path to get him in the Warrnambool Cup. I thought he was unlucky last time in the Terang Cup and prior to that he had run very well in Sydney."

Talented jockey John Allen, who partnered up with Maher to win two Grand Annual Steeplechases with Regina Coeli in 2015 and 2017, has the ride on Heart Of Puissance in the 2350-metre feature.

"Johnny is a wonderful jockey, a talented horseman and he's got a great understanding of Heart Of Puissance," he said.

"Johnny has been aboard Heart Of Puissance for two of his three wins and one of those was in his maiden which was at Warrnambool back in October 2019.

"We've always had a good opinion of the horse and I'm confident he'll be super competitive in the cup."

Early betting markets rate Heart Of Puissance the $4.20 favourite while stablemates South Pacific and Sky Horse have been well supported.

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