Nightmare travel logistics have forced Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler to abandon Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) plans with high-class filly She's A Con but that hasn't stopped him from preparing a strong team of six to travel to Riccarton for feature racing on Saturday.
Tyler, who trains in partnership with his daughter Aimee, enjoyed a successful day at Riccarton late last month when She's A Con backed up an impressive Riverton maiden win with a strong victory in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m), while Prince Alby and Dunhill ran the quinella in the stayers' race and Classic Diva carried on her winning ways.
While She's A Con won't be making the return trip, the other trio are back this weekend, along with Lightning Jack, who ran third in the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) the same day, promising two-year-old Radiant Reach and stable favourite Go Lotte.
On the strength of her Warstep Stakes win, the Tylers were toying with the thought of sending She’s A Con to Brisbane for the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm on June 3 but baulked at that option after considering an arduous travel schedule.
"We're definitely not going. There's no direct flight to Brisbane so you've got to fly to Sydney first. She'd have to spend 40 hours on a transporter getting her to Auckland and then from Sydney to Brisbane - and that's not counting hours spent on the plane," Tyler said.
"It's just too much; too hard. It's not to say she won't go because the phone hasn't stopped ringing from interested parties so I'm just ticking her over at the stables in case that amounts to something.
"If nothing comes of a sale, she'll be out for a spell. She's come through that last race perfectly. We could race her again this week and she'd win again if we'd wanted her to."
Spearheading the Tylers' Riccarton assault are Lightning Jack, who tackles the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes dropping back to 1400m and Radiant Reach in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m).
Per Incanto six-year-old Lightning Jack chases his first black-type win of the season after placings in the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui, the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham and the Canterbury Gold Cup, when he sat third in running.
"He's better when he comes from more off the speed but he had an inside draw and just landed there last time. It was a good, honest run," Tyler said.
"We haven't done a lot with him since, just a couple of short, sharp gallops and we've put the visor blinkers on this week and hopefully that sharpens him up a bit more.
"He's done really well since but he's going to get the weight again which has been his downfall all year. But we really can't fault him so we'll give him one more roll of the dice and bring him back to 1400m to try our luck. He'll definitely be out for a spell after this."
Vadamos filly Radiant Reach goes into her target race in peak condition after close-up finishes for second and fourth in her two starts so far.
"She's a high-quality filly and we've purposely targeted this race. We didn't want to be taking her up there every second week so we gave her 10 days off after her last race and kept her for this," Tyler said.
"Terry (Moseley, jockey) advised us to put the side winkers on her. She's not scared of the other horses but just a little bit reluctant to go up to them so we've put them on her for her last two gallops and her work has been faultless in them. She's flying."
Prince Alby and Dunhill ran first and second a fortnight ago over 2600m and stay at that trip for Saturday's Great Autumn Handicap.
"Prince Alby is just a quality horse. Both of them came through that last race perfectly and Dunhill gets three kilos off on Saturday but I reckon Prince Alby is the best we've had him," Tyler said.
"He wasn't a Classic horse but he was just weak and raw-boned and he was still showing us plenty. He's still got maturing to do even now but he's just a high-class galloper and I expect him to go another good race."
Classic Diva produced a dazzling late finish from worse than midfield to win at Riccarton last start and chases her third straight win in the Rating 75 1800m event.
"She probably should be going for four straight because she should have won the first day at Riverton but she was blocked for a run. She's up in the weights but she's flying and she should go another good one," Tyler said.
Rounding out the Tyler team is Telperion four-year-old mare Go Lotte, a winner at Riverton last month who contests the Rating 75 1200m race.
"She's just stepped up and she's such a tough, wee horse. She's going well too," he said.
"We're going up to Christchurch with six horses and they are all going well. I can't fault any of our team."