Missing a start in the Melbourne Cup might prove a blessing in disguise for the Group One winner Pondarosa Miss.
The Easter Handicap winner was left stranded at No.26 for Tuesday's cup when the 24-horse field was declared on Saturday night, meaning Te Awamutu trainer Peter Hollinshead had to opt for Plan B.
That was initially to run Pondarosa Miss in Saturday's Gr.3 Queen's Cup (2600m) at Flemington, which as well as carrying a A$300,000 stake provided a A$100,000 bonus to any runner paid up for the Melbourne Cup, but missing a start, that managed to win.
However, Hollinshead has since decided resort to Plan C and tackle the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) with the High Chaparral five-year-old mare.
"As it turned out, we were probably better off missing out on the Melbourne Cup," co-breeder and part-owner Darrell Hollinshead said.
"She was off her feed and water for the first four days over here, so she wouldn't have been at her best. That's one of the reasons she's running over the shorter distance on Saturday."
Another reason was that the Hollinsheads heeded the advice of former Matamata trainer Jason Bridgman, these days training out of Pakenham, who suggested taking on the fillies and mares in the Matriarch might prove a softer option than tackling the proven international male stayers in the Queen's Cup.
"With her running over 1950m at Rotorua last start, we're not having to drop her back in trip for the Matriarch Stakes either and if she goes well, there's the Sandown Classic over 2400m the following Saturday or the Ballarat Cup over 2200m the next week," Hollinshead said.
"She's gradually getting better every day, eating and drinking more each day. Hopefully she can go a very nice race. There are some reasonable horses in it, but we know what she's capable of on her day."
Dwayne Dunn has been booked to ride Pondarosa Miss from barrier 13, with Lisa Allpress, who was engaged for the Melbourne Cup, opting to ride at Riccarton on Saturday.
Hollinshead, who suggested Pondarosa Miss could stay on in Victoria with Bridgman, was looking forward to reacquainting himself with the mare's brother Ecuador at Flemington on Saturday.
Ecuador tackles the Gr.1 $A1 million Emirates Stakes, the race preceding the Matriarch Stakes.
"I haven't seen him since we sold him at the yearling sales, so I'm really looking forward to hopefully going and giving him a pat," Hollinshead said.
The Hollinsheads sold the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap runner-up for $360,000 at the Karaka yearling sales in 2011 through Cambridge's Esker Lodge.
