KEY POINTS:
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Steven King has answered a call from New Zealand trainer Peter McKenzie to partner his stayer Sculptor in the group three Tattersall's Cup at Eagle Farm tomorrow.
King was advised by his manager Dean Fraser after acceptances closed yesterday that he had been booked for Sculptor.
King, who won the Melbourne Cup on the Bart Cummings-trained Let's Elope in 1991, was called up to replace New Zealand jockey Leith Innes who became ill with a virus overnight and has stood down from riding at Eagle Farm.
McKenzie only entered Sculptor for the Tatt's Cup as a precaution in case rain developed but he's decided to start the 4-year-old who has thrived since his narrow victory in last week's Ipswich Cup (2150m).
McKenzie regularly weighs his horses and had no hesitation in clearing the son of His Royal Highness to back up for his third start in 12 days.
Sculptor weighed 445kg on the eve of his Ipswich Cup success and has put on 7kg since he edged out Cold Start in the stakes race last Saturday.
"He's done so well I had no option but to run him," McKenzie said.
"If he didn't run he would still need a hard gallop on Saturday anyway so he might as well go around in the hope he can get more prizemoney."
McKenzie initially feared he would be left without a top rider when he learnt of Innes' illness until informed several other well-credentialled riders, including Steven Arnold and Shane Scriven, had no commitments for the Tatt's Cup.
Scriven later gained a late call-up for the Tattersall's Cup when booked to ride the Jim Atkins-trained Hello Possums.
McKenzie is not concerned by another quick back-up for Sculptor who went into the Ipswich Cup five days after finishing 14th to Newcastle stayer Newport in the group two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
Sculptor badly bungled the start when he reared up in the barriers and was more than a dozen lengths behind his nearest runner in the Brisbane Cup.
He had to trial before stewards before being cleared to run in the Ipswich Cup.
McKenzie said the Ipswich Cup was also an afterthought for Sculptor as he had never won on a track rated good in his previous four victories.
"I wasn't sure about running him in the Ipswich Cup last week until I was told the track wouldn't be rock hard after some recent rain in the area," McKenzie said.
The tough-as-teak Sculptor is likely to back up again on Saturday week in the listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast.
McKenzie has won the Caloundra Cup three times with Procyon in 1991 and Empyreal who won the race in successive years in 2005 and 2006. He'd like nothing more than to continue that winning run tomorrow.
- AAP
