Racing: Pretty To Sea heads to Railway

Pretty To Sea beats Avantage to win the Listed Hallmark Stud Sprint (1200m) at Ellerslie. Photo / Trish Dunell

One of Ellerslie's most impressive Boxing Day winners is going to need a new rider for Wednesday's $200,000 Sistema Railway.

Pretty To Sea confirmed her spot in the Railway with a huge victory in the Hallmark Stud Handicap on Thursday, coming from behind favourite Avantage to win the $60,000 sprint.

But her rider Mick Dee was already confirmed for Kali and she is now safely in the Railway field after Avantage pulled out to be aimed at the Telegraph at Trentham instead. "So I am looking for a good rider who can ride her at 53kg," says Stephen Marsh of Pretty To Sea.

Marsh's main stable rider Danielle Johnson is already committed to riding last-start Levin Stakes winner Evalina.

With Avantage, as expected, coming out of the Railway, Ronchi will be the first ballot if all the final nominations accept this morning.

That means Spring Heat, who was once a $10 chance, is more than likely to miss out unless two horses pull out of the glamour sprint between now and Wednesday morning. Remarkably the Railway is set to have 10 female gallopers, nine mares and Kali, in the 14-horse field.