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Provincial-Midway Championships favorite Tavi Time will have his final lead-up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Trainer Kris Lees says it is a perfect opportunity to test the talented four-year-old in stronger company in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) before he tackles the $1m Final over the same distance at Royal Randwick on April 13.
Tavi Time made it six wins from nine starts in trouncing his rivals in the Newcastle Qualifier (1400m) on March 2 for provincial-trained horses only, and assumed clear favoritism for the Final, with his trainer chasing his sixth win in the 10th running of the annual series.
"Tavi Time has done well since winning at home, and having already qualified for the Final he can't be penalised, so this is a good opportunity to try him in a Benchmark 88 (his current rating is 82)," Lees said.
"I won't run him or trial him again before the Final in a month's time."
Lees' apprentice Dylan Gibbons will partner Tavi Time on Saturday, but Lees says he hasn't locked in a rider for the Final.
Hardy stayer Kalapour (Kerrin McEvoy) will be Lees' other Rosehill runner, in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m).
"I've decided to take winkers off just for a little change," he said.
"I feel he will run well. There was more merit in his recent Parramatta Cup performance (10th to More Felons at his first start since the Melbourne Cup on November7) than it may have appeared."
Brudenell was an acceptor for the Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, but will be an absentee.
He has remained in Melbourne and will contest the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, and Mark Zahra will ride him.
Brudenell was excellent when a close fifth (beaten less than two lengths) in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 24, and reverts to Listed grade.
"With the rail out 6m at Caulfield, Brudenell has drawn favorably and it looks a nice race for him, whereas he drew poorly at Rosehill," Lees said.
Kind Words (Sam Clipperton) tackles tomorrow's Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m), and Lees has opted to race her minus blinkers.
"Hopefully racing without blinkers will help her settle a bit better, and getting up to 1600m suits," Lees said.
"It looks a fairly even field, and I'm expecting her to run well."
Lees is looking to Kind Words to show that he should continue to take a path with her to the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 13.
Along with Tavi Time, Lees has also qualified Hawkesbury runner-up Convincebility for the PMC Final, and hopes to add to that number at Gosford on Saturday.
He has accepted with five horses – Willinga Freefall (Aaron Bullock), Cacofonix (Lee Magorrian), Per Inaway (Brock Ryan), Memoria (Jeff Penza) and Willinga Beast (Darryl McLellan) – for the sole 1200m Qualifier in the series, and will decide tomorrow if he will run all of them.
"Memoria and Willinga Beast look to be my best chances," Lees said.
"Memoria is in good form and won her only start at Gosford when resuming in January, whilst Willinga Beast is fresh after a break and has raced well in much better company."
. Lees has three runners at Saturday's Eagle Farm meeting, and has also made a gear change on Mr Crowning Moment (Andrew Mallyon) in the 2YO Handicap (1400m).
Blinkers come off and are replaced by winkers.
"Mr Crowning Moment is still a work in progress, but his debut run over 1110m at Doomben was okay and 1400m is much more suitable," Lees said.
Mallyon also partners Oakfield Wallaby in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m), and apprentice Bailey Wheeler rides Cave Diver in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1800m).
"Oakfield Wallaby has been up for a while but continues to race well and goes back to 2400m, which should not be a problem," Lees said.
"Cave Diver probably looks a bit outgraded, but has had the benefit of two runs since a lengthy absence after coming from the UK, and has drawn well."
