Racing: No change of plan for La Crique

La Crique. Photo / Race Images

Don't expect La Crique to be at Hastings for the Group 1 Classic on Saturday.

While the connections of the stunning winner of the Group 1 Plate at Matamata last Saturday will not decide until tomorrow whether they back her up in the Classic this weekend, it looks certain she will bypass the race.

That would enormously increase the chances La Crique heads to Australia, with the A$1 million Empire Rose at Flemington on October 29 the seemingly perfect target.

While La Crique would only need to turn up at Hastings in the form she was in on Saturday to win the Classic, co-trainer Katrina Alexander admits that would be more or less repeating what she did last weekend.

Instead Australia beckons. Alexander and her husband Simon have form in bypassing logical and winnable local targets in preference for a major Aussie goal, and then achieving that goal.

In 2003 Katrina's high-class staying mare Honor Babe won a lead-up to the Wellington Cup and Trentham looked the place to head, but she chose to bypass that and try the Sydney Cup. Honor Babe won.

If La Crique targets the Empire Rose rather than the A$10 million Golden Eagle the same day in Sydney, she could clash with Cambridge filly She's Licketysplit, who could head to the Empire Rose if she can win Wednesday's 1000 Guineas at Caulfield.

Talented Kiwi three-year-old Sharp N Smart will also be chasing Aussie riches on Wednesday, but not by choice.

He was to have contested the Gloaming Stakes at Randwick on Saturday before the last four races at that venue were abandoned due to heavy rain, with the Gloaming moved to Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

● Australian winners of the New Zealand Trotting Cup are rare but Australian-trained favourites in the race are almost unheard of.

Rock N Roll Doo may be about to change that.

The pacer was brilliant winning the Victoria Cup at Melton on Saturday night, beating among others defending New Zealand Cup champion Copy That.

He is expected to fly into New Zealand on Thursday before heading to Ashburton for the Flying Stakes on October 24.

Rock N Roll Doo is already the TAB's $4 second favourite for the NZ Cup and if he can beat Self Assured at Ashburton he looks likely to replace him as Cup favourite.

Coming to Addington and winning your first standing start race, particularly against the Mark Purdon stars, would be a stunning achievement. Rock N Roll Doo is special enough to do it.