Former New Zealander Tariki has convinced trainer Robert Bradshaw he is up to a trip to Sydney for the Summer Cup.Tariki proved his last start win at Doomben on November 8 was no fluke with a commanding three-quarter length victory in the C.E.B. Barnes Plate (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.Bradshaw, who has been battling ill-health in recent times, was in two minds during the spring whether to send Tariki to Melbourne for a country Cups campaign or head to north Queensland.He eventually chose

Former New Zealander Tariki has convinced trainer Robert Bradshaw he is up to a trip to Sydney for the Summer Cup.

Tariki proved his last start win at Doomben on November 8 was no fluke with a commanding three-quarter length victory in the C.E.B. Barnes Plate (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Bradshaw, who has been battling ill-health in recent times, was in two minds during the spring whether to send Tariki to Melbourne for a country Cups campaign or head to north Queensland.

He eventually chose the latter but Tariki failed in his only Cairns start in September and returned to continue campaigning in Brisbane.

"He's a good horse when he's right," Bradshaw said.

"I was going to send him to Melbourne for some of their country Cups but I decided to send him to Cairns instead.

"I don't think we've seen the best of him yet and I'll give him another run in a fortnight over 2000 metres then take him to Sydney for the Summer Cup."

The Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) will be run at Randwick on Boxing day.

"He's already been to Randwick as a class one horse and he only just got beaten. He got held up for a run that day and should have won" Bradshaw said.

"This horse if flying at the moment. I thought 12 months ago he was going to be a good horse but he had a few problems.

"I've managed to fix all his problems now. He's a tough stayer."

In his only Sydney run, Tariki was beaten less than three lengths in a 2400-metre welter at Randwick in August, 2007.

Tariki was formerly prepared in New Zealand but only had half a dozen runs for trainer Donna Logan.

No rider has yet been booked for Tariki in Sydney, but Paul Hammersley has been the six-year-old's regular rider since he returned from his failed north Queensland adventure.

Hammersley believed Tariki's chances were enhanced after the Rob Heathcote-trained On The Up dislodged Sean Cormack shortly after the start.

"The other horse helped us a lot when he injected some speed and led the field," Hammersley said.

"I was fortunate to get onto the back of Rezone and got a terrific run throughout the race."

Cormack escaped with minor bruising after his tumble from On The Up.