By MIKE DILLON
A decision will be made this morning whether Australian sprinter Cullen runs in the $60,000 Anzyian Concorde at Avondale tomorrow.
Co-trainer Keith Hawtin was to make a decision after discussing the race with managing owner Eric Watson.
"Basically he has come over here to win the group one McDonogh Stakes at Ellerslie.
"If he wins this he will get a re-handicap," said Hawtin.
Cullen has 56.5kg tomorrow. He was denied the McDonogh Railway last January 3 when he ducked out sharply in the closing stages and was caught in the last stride by a flying Cannsea.
Hawtin is almost certain that he will run Saturday's impressive winner So Lets in the $150,000 NZ Bloodstock Avondale Cup.
"She continues to do everything right and I can't see a reason why she won't start."
So Lets has not been re-handicapped from her 52kg minimum weight in the Avondale Cup for her Ellerslie win.
Noel Harris will ride So Lets, her Ellerslie rider Michael Walker having a previous engagement for Kaapeon.
There are plenty of winning chances in the cup.
With only a head between King Keitel and Bluebird The Word in the Counties Cup and a kilo swing in favour of Bluebird The Word this time, you would expect there to be some confidence in the Ritchie stable.
But co-trainer Frank Ritchie believes the intiative remains with King Keitel.
"Paul Jenkins is certain there is a one length improvement in King Keitel, whereas we couldn't get Bluebird The Word any fitter than he was at Counties."
Even the fact King Keitel had the perfect trip at Counties and Bluebird The Word stumbled out of the barriers and had to make his final sprint from a long way back holds little weight with Ritchie.
"I tend to agree with [jockey] Greg Childs that the stumble at the start made little difference to the finish and this time King Keitel has drawn perfectly at No3."
Jaiapeno, who drew the outside of 19 barriers, was yesterday scratched from the Concorde.
After rain on Sunday night and yesterday morning the Avondale track was yesterday rated at 3.0 with clearing weather.
Expectations are that with a fine forecast the track will be perfect tomorrow.
Racing: Cullen may tilt at Concorde
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