By Mike Dillon
Showella will definitely run in the $250,000 South Australian Derby on Saturday in preference to next Wednesday's $A200,000 Roseland Oaks.
The switch was made despite the fact Showella will meet in the Derby fellow New Zealand-trained 3-year-old Sea Squill, who beat her home in the $A100,000 Verve Clicquot Stakes last Saturday and that raging Oaks favourite Grand Archway looked less than convincing when only second at the weekend.
Sea Squill has been elevated to Derby favourite and Showella's trainer Frank Ritchie is confident his filly can beat him.
"Given the circumstances Showella went at least as well as Sea Squill did winning and there's improvement in my filly."
It did not look a good ride by Melbourne-based Eddie Wilkinson, but to be fair to the former Ritchie apprentice, he had not previously ridden Showella and the filly tended to race on the fresh side.
When Wilkinson made his sprint from the back on Showella at the 700m, the filly surprised him with her acceleration.
"She went too quickly and got herself into the race too soon," said Wilkinson.
Showella hung a bit on the home turn but still went to the lead at the 350m very wide on the track.
Shane Dye had followed her around on Sea Squill, had the last run at the leaders and won by one length.
"I known it looked a nice win by Sea Squill, but my filly went even better," said Ritchie. "I was delighted with her run."
Wilkinson had a useful book of rides at Flemington on Saturday and has given them up to be aboard Showella again.
"The big plus this time will be the step up in distance from 2000m to 2500m," said Ritchie."
· The almost impossible has happened and Skoozi will get a run in Saturday's Queensland Guineas.
Trainer Roger James was delighted to hear that a field of only 18 will accept for the Guineas after the talented Kiwi 3-year-old was 43rd on the qualification list last week. "I rang the Brisbane handicapper and asked if there was any chance Skoozi would make the field and he gave me a very definite `no chance'," said James yesterday.
The John Hawkes-trained Lease will start favourite for the Guineas and the stable surprised everyone when it declared its No1 Queensland rider John Powell for Lease rather than its overall premier jockey, Larry Cassidy.
For such a tough race Skoozi lacks a huge amount of experience when compared to the likes of the battle-hardened Lease, but he's big on potential.
Provided there is a reasonable pace, he should be finishing hard in the closing stages.
Vinny Colgan, who rides Skoozi, will partner Melora in preference to stablemate Foxwood in the $A100,000 Sir Byrne Hart Stakes on Saturday. Foxwood will be ridden by Brian York.
Meanwhile, James appears to be winning the battle to get Cronus to the $A300,000 Prime Minister's Cup next Wednesday after the star stayer was galloped on during the Labour Day Cup at Doomben on Monday.
Horse Racing: Ritchie chooses Derby for filly
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