"She's Karaka Million-nominated and unfortunately she knocked a joint and that's put us behind the eight ball. We wanted to have her at the races before now, but she went terrific at the trials and she's improved a lot with it."
Her Choice delighted Bishara with her run at Ellerslie behind Rising Romance and will now head toward the Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic on February 8.
"I've got so much faith in her and know she's going to make a lovely stayer," he said. "I think she might be better left-handed so she'll go to Te Rapa and then the Oaks."
While stablemate Dragonkeeper won at odds of 17-1, Bishara was far from surprised and gave much of the credit to equine sports therapist Claire McGowan and apprentice jockey Rowena Smyth.
"The mare's had back issues and Claire has done a fantastic job getting her right and it was a great ride by Rowena as well," he said.
Meanwhile at Thames, there's no doubt Tempelten has the ability to trouble good staying fields, but what you see isn't always what you get.
"He's the true meaning of the word enigma," said Scott Lucock, who prepares the 6-year-old with Sally Gillespie at Byerley Park.
"He's the benchmark horse at home and if we think they're any good they've got to be able to go with him. His work has been enormous and he looks great, but he has us scratching our heads."
Tempelten will take his place in the Thames Cup and Lucock said they would try a different approach.
"We've got Mark Sweeney on him - he's a left-handed whip rider and we're going to ride him hard out of the gates and get him a bit closer.
"He got back on a slow pace last time out and the run wasn't as bad as it looked and in the Waikato Gold Cup he got a beautiful run on the fence and he ran on nicely in the straight."
- NZ Racing Desk.
