By MIKE DILLON
Champion mare Sunline is a definite starter in the $A200,000 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Trainer Trevor McKee decided on the group one event yesterday after pondering a three-way option of Sydney, Melbourne or Hastings for Sunline to begin her spring build-up to the Cox Plate.
McKee on Saturday ruled out the Warwick Stakes in Sydney, even though the race had been switched on Friday from an over-used Warwick Farm to Canterbury Racecourse.
Yesterday McKee elected to put Sunline on a flight to Melbourne tonight because of the additional travel in getting the mare to Hastings for the $100,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes on Saturday week.
"If she's going to travel six hours to get to Hastings, she may as well spend that time getting to Melbourne and settling in for her spring racing.
"If she went to Hastings she'd have another six hours to get home then we'd still have to get her to Melbourne."
Sunline galloped 1000m solo at Takanini on Saturday, blowing harder afterwards than McKee thought she might.
He said afterwards because Sunline was fractionally less fit than he would like, he was keen to find the softest first-up option for the mare.
"I don't think Melbourne is necessarily going to be a softer race than Hastings, but the travelling balances that out."
Regular rider Greg Childs has confirmed his availability for the Manikato Stakes and while he had indicated he would be keen to ride Sunline at Hastings, logistically it presented him with a problem to ride in Singapore the following day.
McKee said Sydney had been ruled out not because of the unsuitability of the Canterbury track to race the Warwick Stakes on, but because of the work being done at Randwick, where Sunline was to be stabled.
"They are putting tunnels under the track and that means a lot of heavy machinery around, which Sunline would definitely object to.
"Plus, the development being done means horses have restricted working programmes and we're not interested in that."
Although he was leaving a decision on Sunline's training programme today until this morning, McKee was pretty sure he would send the mare a further 1000m alone.
"Then I'll probably give her a quiet gallop on Thursday morning at Flemington."
The main opposition to Sunline in the Manikato looks to be talented mare Miss Moneypenny, Dandy Kid and Sports.
Sunline was yesterday quoted as clear-cut Cox Plate favourite at 5-1.
Racing: Kiwi star definitely a Manikato starter
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.