KEY POINTS:
Australian mare Upstaged has only to produce a useful final gallop over the weekend to be a starter in Wednesday's $150,000 Avondale Cup.
The Melbourne-trained mare races in the same ownership of top class racehorse Seachange, Queenslander Dick Karreman.
Rick Williams, racing manager for Karreman, redirected Upstaged to Auckland rather that a proposed trip to the Perth carnival.
Williams bought Upstaged as a yearling filly at the Sydney sales for A$80,000 and she has been trained in Melbourne by Peter Moody.
"She's a good, solid stayer," said Williams yesterday. "She finished second to Gaze in the Doomben Roses at the Queensland carnival mid-year then started one of the favourites in the Queensland Oaks.
"She got back on the fence and didn't get much of a run in that race.
"This time in she's won a Listed stakes race in Adelaide on Melbourne Cup day and last week she finished second in the Ballarat Cup."
Moody's stable rider Luke Nolan is currently suspended and Upstaged will be ridden at Avondale by Leith Innes.
It may not be her only New Zealand start.
"She's probably got three more runs in her this campaign," said Williams. "Being the type of horse she is she's probably going to be better suited to 2400m, so there is the Waikato Cup and possibly the City Of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie.
"We'll see how she goes on Wednesday."
