By MIKE DILLON
Class mare Showella has been switched to next week's $110,000 Lion Red Stakes at Ellerslie, rather than racing at Matamata on Saturday, as a lead-up to a multi-million dollar Australian campaign.
Co-trainer Frank Ritchie is worried that the 58kg Showella has been given in Saturday's $15,000 Waikato Stud Stakes will be too tough for her as a final preparation for the $A1.25 million Australian Cup at Flemington.
"I'm not saying she hasn't earned the weight, but the reality is she has to give 2.5kg to a class horse like Hill Of Grace," said Ritchie yesterday.
"And a horse like Last Flight has got only 52kg.
"He can lead and probably run 1400m in close to 1.21, which means Showella would be giving him a huge start and a lot of weight in the home straight.
"Even if she won, it would flatten her."
Switching to the Ellerslie race means Showella will have to jump from the first-up 1400m of the Waikato Draught Sprint to 2000m, but Ritchie was not too concerned.
"She's the sort of horse that can handle that, and it's certainly a better option at weight-for-age than this handicap."
A flight to Melbourne is available on the Monday night after Ellerslie, but Ritchie will wait until the following Saturday, only two days before the Australian Cup.
"I feel she will get over the Ellerslie race better in her own environment than if she is flown to Melbourne straight afterwards," he said.
"It's an early-morning flight on the Saturday. Mike Moroney has given me a box at his Flemington stable, which means she could be in her box there with a full 48 hours to get over the trip."
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Ma Victoire resumes in Race 10 at Avondale today after being sidelined with injuries she received in a bad buffeting in the Oaks at Trentham last month.
The Derby placegetter pulled a muscle in her back when nearly falling in the home straight.
Co-trainer Stephen McKee said that while Ma Victoire generally improved with a first-up run, she had done enough work to make her competitive here.
"She will improve with the run for sure, but in this class she has the ability to be right in it."
Ma Victoire will go into next week's $100,000 Grosvenor Championship Stakes at Ellerslie, and after that a decision will be made on a possible trip to the Oaks in Sydney or Adelaide.
Racing: Weight prompts Showella move
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