The connections of late Kelt Capital entrant Mandela have scored top international jockey Glen Boss to ride him on Saturday.
Trainer Richard Yuill had been trying to iron out travel arrangements for the Hong Kong-based jockey over the past few days and said it had all fallen into
place.
Boss, who has won three Melbourne Cups, will come to New Zealand for one day and fly back to Hong Kong in time to race there the following night.
His ride comes at the expense of local jockey Sam Spratt, who rode Mandela to victory in the listed $70,000 Jim & John Evans Ltd Classic at Pukekohe on September 22.
Yuill, who trains with Stephen Goodin, said the decision followed the wishes of Mandela's owners, who had agreed to pay the $15,000 late entry fee for the $2 million race.
"He (Boss) is not going to make the difference in winning or losing, but at the end of the day, if you're racing for that much money you want everything on your side," Yuill said.
"I've got nothing against Sam Spratt. She was going to be the New Zealand rider but the owners have opted for Glen Boss."
Yuill said the late entry to the Kelt was partially due to the risk that Mandela may not be able to get to Melbourne for the Spring carnival because of difficulties posed by the outbreak in Australia of equine influenza.
He said the spring racing plans for Mandela, who has won close to $600,000 and is nominated for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, had to be re-evaluated after the EI outbreak.
"We obviously started off the campaign with Melbourne in mind and with what's happened there you don't know if you're going to get to Melbourne and, if you do, you don't know whether you'll get home."
* The NZ TAB took a $20,000 plunge yesterday on Princess Coup to win the Kelt. The bet was taken at $5 and immediately brought her fixed-odds price into $4.
Favourite Seachange had also received a $20,000 bet at $3, meaning they were the only horses backed into singles figures.
- NZPA
