Racing: Waterhouse aims Aqua at Kelt

The odds on Sydney mare Aqua D'Amore running in the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes shortened dramatically when trainer Gai Waterhouse ordered a blood sample this week.

The sample is a Government requirement for Aqua D'Amore to travel to New Zealand for the group one race two weeks tomorrow.

Aqua D'Amore is already in Melbourne where she is scheduled to run in tomorrow's A$350,000 ($400,000) Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield.

Negotiations to have Aqua D'Amore in New Zealand have been handled in part by a former New Zealander living in Sydney, Jack Petley.

"Gai had originally booked Aqua D'Amore on a flight to New Zealand after the Underwood, but has now put that back a week to see how she does if she races this weekend."

Aqua D'Amore has won eight of her 24 race starts and banked A$697,350.

She has not won a race since last Boxing Day when she picked up the group three Randwick Handicap, but last start finished 1.9 lengths third to Eremein in the A$200,000 Chelmsford Stakes and last Easter pushed Eremein to half a length in the 2000m A$600,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

She did not get many favours in the heavy conditions in the Chelmsford on a day when the place to be was hard up against the outside running rail.

"She's a mare that likes plenty of racing room and she got tightened up more than she appreciated when Eremein came wide that day," said Petley.

Lisa Cropp could be in the running for the Kelt ride. She became available when her probable Kelt mount Willie Smith was involved in an accident last Friday and her manager Lenny Goord has spoken to Waterhouse.

Willy Smith grazed a shoulder when he broke loose and slipped over but trainer Mark Todd said the incident will not keep the horse down for long.

"I think Lisa will suit the mare because she likes time to settle and likes to be ridden comfortably," said Petley.

Aqua D'Amore was at $20 for the Kelt with the New Zealand TAB. It is understood the mare will be stabled with Roger James at Cambridge.

Melbourne trainer Lee Freedman has asked that Sphenophyta, an acceptor for tomorrow's Underwood Stakes, be left in the Kelt.

The partly New Zealand-owned gelding is facing a problem getting a start in the A$2.5 million Caulfield Cup.

The winner of the Underwood Stakes is exempt from the ballot of the Caulfield Cup, but at weight-for-age this time Sphenophyta faces a tough assignment against Our Smoking Joe, El Segundo, Pompeii Ruler and Serenade Rose.

Winning the Kelt would not promote Sphenophyta's chances of getting a Caulfield Cup start, but it would put him straight into the A$3 million Cox Plate for which he would otherwise have no chance of being included in the field.