Lucia Valentina completed her Melbourne Cup preparation on Friday and is "ready to go to the races", according to her trainer Kris Lees.

For the second time in the week Lees took his classy mare to Sandown to work on the course proper - her final hitout leading in to Tuesday's $6 million feature at Flemington.

Lucia Valentina worked over 1600m and came home her last 400m in about 25 seconds.

"She wasn't out to make time, but was very smooth in her action," Lees said.

"She has trained on really well since the Caulfield Cup, and is ready to go back to the races. Everything has gone perfectly in the last couple of weeks.

"I'm really looking forward to Tuesday's race, especially having a runner with such a great chance."

The mare also underwent a routine veterinary check at her Caulfield stable on Friday afternoon.

VRC stewards for the last few years have ordered vet inspections of the top 35 qualifiers in the Melbourne Cup prior to the final field being declared.

Lucia Valentina, who turned in an outstanding Melbourne Cup trial with her flashing third to Admire Rakti in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18, has been in the "top three" of betting for Australia's most famous race for the past fortnight.

Whilst the mare's trainer is naturally hoping for a good barrier he will take a back seat when the draw is conducted on Saturday night in front of a national television and radio audience.

"I'll leave that to owner Lib Petagna or his daughter," Lees said.

Meanwhile Lees has nominated stablemate Slow Pace for two races at the Hong Kong International meeting at Sha Tin on December 14.

The import has been entered for both the HK Cup (2000m) and HK Vase (2400m), but his trainer says he will have to "jump out of the ground" to earn an invitation to the fixture.

Slow Pace disappointed at Moonee Valley last Friday night, and will not run at the Flemington four-day carnival.

Lees had hoped to start him on Tuesday in a Listed 1800m event (the same race he won last year with the ill-fated Salon Soldier), but is now looking at the G3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on November 15.

"He's still a bit flat, so Flemington is out," Lees said. "Hopefully, with a bit more time he will be right to run at Sandown."

Trainer Kris Lees feels former Kiwi mare Hera can produce her best form at Rosehill on Saturday.

Lees will start both Hera and Fine Bubbles in the same 1350m event for three-year-olds and upwards who have not won more than one metropolitan race in Australia in the last 12 months.

Senior jockey Jason Collett rides Fine Bubbles (56.5kg) but Lees has made an important move by booking apprentice Taylor Marshall for Hera.

Marshall's 3kg claim reduces the weight of 58kg to only 1kg above the limit.

ine Bubbles is at a much shorter quote than her stablemate, but the weight advantage suggests that perhaps shouldn't be the case.

"Fine Bubbles is holding her form and I'm sure she will again run well," Lees said.

"But I'm also expecting a good run from Hera. She is going to have only a light spring preparation, and I was happy with her first-up performance at Randwick a fortnight ago.

"She struck interference at the start and again met some trouble at vital stages. Her run was definitely better than it may look on paper."

Lees has two other Rosehill runners - Slivovitz (Jay Ford) in the Benchmark 80 Handicap (1500m) and Senta De Noche (apprentice Koby

Jennings) in the Benchmark 75 Handicap (1100m).

Taree Cup winner Slivovitz has been freshened since his 12th in Disclaimer's Group 3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) on September 18, whilst Senta De Noche did a great job to upset hotpot Alberto Magic over 1100m at Warwick Farm on October 8.