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Progressive four-year-old Tiptronic is a race away from a return to stakes competition.

He is unbeaten in two appearances this season and another strong showing in Wednesday’s Fisken& Sons Ltd 60th Birthday Handicap (1600m) at Pukekohe will see the son of O’Reilly head to Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

“If he runs well again then his next start will be in the Rich Hill Mile,” said Graham Richardson, who trains the gelding with Gavin Parker.

Runner-up in last season’s Gr.2 Great Northern Guineas (1600m), Tiptronic successfully resumed at Te Aroha over 1400m and then went back-to-back at Tauranga with a bold front-running performance over a mile.

“He doesn’t have to lead – he’s a push button horse,” Richardson said. “He’s done really well, we’re pretty happy with him.”

Tiptronic has fashioned an impressive record of three wins and four placings from his eight outings.

“The only bad race he went was at Palmerston North and after that he came out and ran second in the Group Two at Ellerslie, he’s a pretty genuine horse,” Richardson said.

Meanwhile, the stable’s highest rated performer Volpe Veloce will be back in action in the open 1200m sprint at Ellerslie on Saturday.

“She goes well fresh, but it will be a very strong field,” Richardson said. “I’m happy with her and, all going well, she’ll go on to the Railway.”

To be ridden by Jake Bayliss, Volpe Veloce hasn’t raced since she was tripped up by a Slow 9 track when unplaced in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings in September.