Newcastle trainer Kris Lees is giving Onemorezeta only a fifty fifty chance of travelling to Brisbane for the Listed $100,000 Novotel Brisbane Airport Nudgee Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Onemorezeta is entered for both the Nudgee Handicap at Doomben and in the Cellarbrations Handicap at Randwick. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Onemorezeta is also an acceptor for the $85,000 Cellarbrations Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday and Lees will make his decision on the state of the tracks.
A dry track is what Lees is looking for and with rain predicted for Sydney leading up to the weekend, a trip to Brisbane is a good option.
Both Doomben and Randwick are rated as a Good 4 on Thursday afternoon but the weather over the next couple of day will be the deciding factor.
“She’s booked on a flight but I’m still 50-50 about going,” Lees told Racing Queensland News.
“I want a dry track for her and they’re tipping rain in Sydney.
“It’s a Stakes race in Brisbane and an attractive option, so I’ll probably decide late today or tonight (Thursday) if she goes.
“She’s a good mare who has already won a Group 3 race and will hold her own in any mare’s race.”
But Lees will have to take his chances if he decides to head north with the Bureau Of Meteorology tipping showers for Brisbane on Saturday and a possible thunderstorm.
The Nudgee Handicap for fillies and mares is a good option for Onemorezeta as it carries black type status with its Listed rating.
Onemorezeta is the winner of three of her eleven race starts, including a win in the Group 3 $200,000 Gucci Stakes (1100m) at Flemington during the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival, and heads into Saturday’s assignment on the back of a first up fourth in an 1100m BenchMark 85 Handicap at Canterbury on January 9.
Top Brisbane jockey Michael Cahill has been booked to ride Onemorezeta who has drawn barrier five in the thirteen horse Nudgee Handicap field while at Randwick the four year old has drawn the outside of the eight horse field with Glyn Schofield down to ride..
In early markets for the Nudgee Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au Onemorezeta is well in contention on the second line of betting with Sheiswhatsheis at $6 just behind the early $5 favourite Tina Melina.
While at Randwick Onemorezeta is one the third line of betting at $4.60 in the Cellarbrations Handicap.
Nudgee Handicap market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5 Tina Melina, $6 Onemorezeta, Sheiswhatsheis, $8 Miss Cover Girl, $9 Double Banger, $10 Define, $12 The Special Two, $16 Zaha’s Ace, Sino Eagle, Adorabubble, $19 Snake Charmer, $26 Dame Destiny, $31 Kalandula.
