Kempsey trainer Rocky Simonetta is relying on his second option, Casino and Wauchope Cups winner Prima Stella, to win the $34,000 Hopkins Livermore Cup (1412m) at Taree on Friday while last year's victor, his Mister McIlroy, recovers from a bad injury.

Prima Stella couldn’t have better credentials to win the $30,000 The Hotel Cecil Casino Gold Cup (1400m) on Saturday and trainer Rocky Simonetta believes the plan will go to script.