Ken and Bev Kelso are hoping for another victory in the country's premier Group One event for fillies and mares, but this time a different route has been forced on them.
The Matamata trainers won the Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) two years ago with Perfect Fit and Cote D'Or will be attempting to emulate that feat.
Cote D'Or has a chance to further her prospects when she runs in the Macmillan Accountants Handicap (1400m) at Rotorua today, a meeting originally to be held at Tauranga.
"It's a nice stepping stone for her and she comes in with 55.5kg, with Scapolo in there it's kept her weight down," Ken Kelso said.
"When we had Perfect Fit we went to the Westbury Classic first, which was a good lead in to the Breeders' Stakes, but unfortunately they've shifted the Westbury so we had to find an alternative."
