Diamond Rush, formerly from the Chris Waller stable, and Cherokee Warrior, who was trained by David Payne, will be searching for a maiden win in their respective races at Canberra on Sunday.

Both gallopers failed to live up to the high standards set by Waller and Payne and were passed on to Joseph and Jones, with Jones excited at their stable's newest additions.

"I'm looking forward to starting some of our new horses to the stable," Jones said. "We've got a couple of newcomers, new clients and we're looking forward to getting them to the track."

"They just didn't quite meet that Sydney Saturday class, so they've come to us and we've dropped the horses back in grade to give them a chance to mature."

Jones was reluctant to set the expectations too high for Diamond Rush and Cherokee Warrior's debuts as he learns more about the horses.

The Canberra co-trainer admitted that Diamond Rush might appear well placed in his race, but is concerned the three-year-old might not handle the wet track.

Despite remaining grounded over his new starters, Jones is excited by other gallopers he will saddle up at his home track on Sunday.

"The horses that I've thought we would go well with have struck either a David Vandyke or a John O'Shea horse in the race, so you're up against the Sydney boys, and that sort of changes your expectations of your horses a bit," he said.

"In saying that, Better Idea and Jockarli are probably the two horses which, if they live up to their promise, should be there at the pointy end."

Meanwhile, the battle for the Canberra trainers premiership is heating up with just 15 races from two meetings left.

The mother and son team of Joseph and Jones sit two wins behind Nick Olive, a five-time winner of the premiership, while Gratz Vella is also still in the hunt, three wins off the pace.

Joseph and Jones will have a runner in all but one of the seven races scheduled at Canberra on Sunday, while Olive will saddle up four.

The stage seems set for the training partners to close the gap on Olive and set up a thrilling finale in just under a fortnight.

"We're two behind, and I think Nicko's got a good chance of winning the 1000-metre flyer (with Rose Of Falvelon), so really we've got to make up three wins in two meetings, and that's very hard to do," Jones said.

"But in saying that our horses are going pretty well, so fingers crossed, you never know. If we can come away with two or three wins then it might come down to the last meeting, which would be an exciting way to finish off the season."