Problem looms for trainer

Xanadu wins the Spring Stakes at Hastings.

You can't win three races from three runners, including a group one, without someone ribbing you.

Matamata horseman Ken Kelso was feeling pretty good about himself yesterday after he and wife and training partner Bev cleaned up with Xanadu, Bounding and Traveller at Hastings on Saturday.

When Ken Kelso said yesterday Xanadu was heading to the A$500,000 Myer Classic on Victoria Derby Day (November 2) at Flemington we couldn't help ourselves.

"You realise she'll run into Atlantic Jewel in that?"

Silence. Well, it was a wind-up, but yesterday in Melbourne there was a rumour in the wind the Atlantic Jewel team could revert the brilliant mare back to 1600m, the distance of the Myer, and steer away from the 2040m of the Cox Plate.

However, there is no game in town more full of rumours than horse racing. "Well, you can't be dictated to by other horses," Kelso finally said.

Correct.

Xanadu will first take on the 1400m group two Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield on October 19 and after the Myer on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival there is the option of the Emirates Stakes (1600m) a week later or the Matriarch Stakes (2000m) the same day.

"She has to go to Australia," said Kelso. "She's won two group ones at home now and only group prizes in Australia can boost her broodmare portfolio.

"She finished fourth in the Spring Classic at Hastings last year and we could have kept going on for that, but there was no point."

Kelso publicly thanked wife Bev after Saturday's dashing victory for insisting blinkers be applied to Xanadu for Saturday.

The way the mare dashed home when asked by Michael Coleman suggested it was a big call.

Bounding's impeccable racing manners and class make her the horse to beat as she goes forward to the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton. The only doubt would be if the decision was made to return Ruud Awakening from Australia for the race.

The two favourites, Final Touch and Survived both had excuses. The former sweated up badly before the start and ran on fairly for fourth without showing her usual zip. Survived was always back and slipped twice.