Johnathan Parkes will be reunited with Five To Midnight for next month's Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie.
Parkes was at a wedding last weekend when Jonathan Riddell guided the Lisa Latta-trained Domesday six-year-old to third placing in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie but had been the regular rider this season of last year's Auckland Cup runner-up.
Latta was thrilled with Five To Midnight's Avondale Cup run and was looking forward to the Auckland Cup in which he meets last Saturday's winner Glory Days 4 kilograms better.
"He's come through the run well. He went to the paddock for a couple of days and he's good. He's on track for the Auckland Cup," Latta said.