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Will Six O'Clock News' two Trentham wins take pressure off him, or lump a bit more on.

Probably the latter.

For at least an early season in his career, the beautifully-bred Six O'Clock News (Zabeel - Maurine) looked potentially New Zealand's best staying prospects.

Not just in our domestic staying contests - he looked a genuine Melbourne Cup horse.

For much of the past three seasons he's looked more like a horse for the Pirongia Cup.

As much as the Trentham Stakes and Wellington Cup victories are encouraging, finally, there are a couple of more steps forward Six O'Clock News needs to take to live up to that early promise.

His Trentham Stakes win last week was his first in almost exactly three years.

The cynics claimed it wasn't Six O'Clock News at all that won the Trentham Stakes it was Nash Rawiller.

And doubtless Rawiller's no-arguments vigourous style was a big help, but Six O'Clock News backed up on Saturday with an equally dogged staying performance to win the $200,000 Pacific Jewelers Wellington Cup, this time with Leith Innes on his back.

There was a slight tip in the wings this double could happen. A year earlier, Nash Rawiller finished fourth on Six O'Clock News in the Trentham Stakes with Innes replacing the Australian in the saddle a week later to finish second to Spiro in the Wellington Cup.

If Six O'Clock News could improve from fourth to second a year ago, he could at least maintain winning form under the same jockeys this time.

Co-trainer Natalie Young said after this latest win that there had been a few signs right through this preparation that Six O'Clock News was in better shape in his current campaign than he had been in a number of others.

"He's been galloping really nicely," said Young, who along with partner Trent Busuttin, won the Victoria Derby with Sangster in the spring.

"He's been moving beautifully at Foxton Beach all week.

"He needs dry tracks and the pace on in his races and some of those earlier runs this season were in the wet.

"These runs at Trentham had the speed on and the surface was dry."

Despite being winless for three years, Six O'Clock News had never had any great weight relief. He carried 56kg on Saturday and his connections are worried that he might get to a level where he won't be competitive in races like the Avondale and Auckland Cups.

"Depending on how he does when he gets home, he might be set for the Brisbane Cup."