Ritchie provides highlight at Te Rapa

A late race-plan re-jig gives punters a chance to cash in on the first of July's mid-week Quaddie bonuses at Te Rapa today.

Cambridge trainer Frank Ritchie admits he was side stepping the meeting with promising mare Highlight, a standout in leg three, the $11,000 Lumpy Laing Memorial.

But a second look at the early nominations for her main winter assignment, the $30,000 Northern Winter Fillies & Mares Series Final (1600m) at Ruakaka on July 16, forced a rethink.

"She needs the points - I'm a bit concerned she might not make the cut [for the final]," said Ritchie.

"But this race works out well for her; it's 12 days since her last race and another 10 to Ruakaka. She certainly pulled up good from that run the other day and I'm very confident she'll go a big race."

Ritchie also isn't worried about striking a much improved surface than those the High Chaparral 4-year-old has raced on lately.

He believes the bog the impressive debut winner struck second-up at Ellerslie was her undoing.

"I don't think she's just a wet-tracker - she's better than that.

"In saying that, though, I don't think she'll perform on really hard ground but I'm sure that right up to a dead surface she'll be competitive."

The likelihood of a slow (9) track today should be perfect for a potential anchor in a Quaddie boosted by $10,000 and the $40,000 Pick6.

The one-time barrier rogue has turned the corner of late, and although still a "nervous little thing", Ritchie says she can always be relied upon to "really put in".

She was entitled to fold in the straight last-time out at Te Aroha after being softened up in front and then forced into the worst of the ground in the run home.

Although never a hope to catch Butcher's Daughter in the winner's groove wider out, she lifted again in the final 200m to run clear of the chasers.

Ritchie just wishes he could get the same level of commitment from stablemate All Pent Up in The Clubhouse Sports Bay Hurdle, one of four even jumping line-ups today.

The son of his group one winner Winning Wave was "flying at home" before an inexplicable last-start mishap in a similar-strength hurdles field at Rotorua on June 17.

"He never actually falls over; he just hits the hurdle hard and flings the jockey out.

"I still can't work out why he does it."

All Pent Up came off second best in a brush with the course tractor while being caught by the clerk of the course after that blunder, carving up a stifle in the process.

But although slightly off colour for a few days afterward, Ritchie is confident he has the 6-year-old back on song.

Ironically, the horse Ritchie rates as one of the slowest he has ever trained pulled a similar stunt before winning his maiden hurdle at Paeroa last September.