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Will Clarken will bypass a Queensland campaign with a host of stable stars despite having three nominations for the $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm next Saturday.
Beau Rossa, Ironclad and Extremely Lucky were all nominated for the 1400m feature but will not be heading north. However, Clarken could have one runner on Stradbroke day in the form of recent stable acquisition Floral Oasis.
The daughter of Not A Single Doubt, who has finished second in four of her five starts, was a recent purchase from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $225,000 and Clarken said the Oxlade Stakes (1300m) for the youngsters appealed.
"She's a beautiful filly,'' Clarken said.
"I've gone up to the sales there over the past few years and had some success, we were the under bidders on a few horses we liked, but she's a nice type who has stayed up there.
"She's got heaps of racing in her and all things going well she could race on Stradbroke day,'' he said.
Clarken said Extremely Lucky could be aimed at the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes at Caufield in early July with the target of getting the exciting three-year-old into some better races in the spring.
"The challenge with him is going to be his rating,'' Clarken said.
"We will look at the Monash and I'd like to get him to the Manikato at Moonee Valley,'' he said.
Floral Oasis was just one horse set to find a new home in SA.
Travis Doudle has been given the job of trying to resurrect the career of talented filly Kiki Express.
The Sepoy filly won the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield on debut but failed to come up earlier in the year was purchased at the sale for $375,000 by Suman Hedge Bloodstock.