Racing: Filly kept fresh in hope of claiming $15,000 bonus

Frank Ritchie has 15,000 reasons for keeping Platinum Place in cotton wool until her eagerly anticipated raceday return at Paeroa today.

The exciting Stravinsky filly is just one of two horses - the other is Exploza - up for a $15,000 windfall courtesy of the New Zealand Incentive Scheme Series at the relocated Counties meeting.

Platinum Place hasn't been near a trial meeting to fit her for the maiden three-year-old event over 1200m.

But Takanini trainers Frank and Craig Ritchie are gambling on her fresh state being the key to winning one of the richest maiden purses of the season.

"In her last campaign she had three trials for three wins before she raced and that may have been a mistake," said Frank Ritchie.

"She didn't go as good as we'd hoped first-up and I think the trials may have taken the edge off her."

A beaten favourite in her only two appearances last spring, Platinum Place also didn't help herself by slipping off the speed and doing a fair bit wrong in running fourth and sixth.

Ritchie concedes that on a fast track today's 1200m won't be ideal for a horse best suited to 1400m and beyond.

But he didn't think she would win her first trial either and the $55,000 yearling burned off her rivals without raising a sweat.

"I certainly think she's up to winning something bigger than a race like this. She has a bit of ability.

My only concern is she can do a few little things wrong that over 1200m you can't afford to do."

Stablemates Kazz and Komplete Klass are big winning hopes for Ritchie in the progressive 2200m.

Splint and hoof problems have stopped Kazz from following up his close second to Star of Clyde over the Auckland Cup carnival.

But Ritchie is confident the former Adelaide Guineas winner is 100 per cent fit and now ready to win his first race since a $40,000 progressive 2100m at Ellerslie in March 2003.

Ritchie is still stumped by the last-start flop by Komplete Klass at Trentham. The Groom Dancer mare had got within a nose of Avegas in her lead-up and pushed Kerry O'Reilly the closest in the start before that.

"We have just got to turn the page on that Trentham run.

"She appeared to have travelled well but showed nothing," said Ritchie.

In her favour today is that Komplete Klass meets a field much weaker overall than in her last three races and also returns to a track where she has placed in her only two runs.

Ritchie also believes she will be suited to a race with plenty of speed on from the jump.

"She races best coming off a solid pace and there looks like being a bit of speed on in this race," he said.