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A decision to head north rather than south to chase black-type status could see McPhoebe prominent in Saturday's Listed Hamilton Vets Equine Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa.
Otaki trainers Johno Benner and Holly Wynyard had tossed up a trip south for Saturday's Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton but plumped for Te Rapa in preference to a more-taxing trip across Cook Strait.
"We considered Riccarton but this will be her last run as a two-year-old and it's a big trip down there and would take a lot more out of her," Benner said."We're mindful that she's going to make a lovely three-year-old in the spring and we didn't want to bottom her out, so that's why we decided on Te Rapa."
McPhoebe has impressed winning two of her three starts, including a last-start all-the-way win at Trentham over 1000m.She steps up slightly in distance for Saturday's Te Rapa feature and is reunited with Rosie Myers, who was aboard for her first two starts.
"She's done perfectly. A month between runs is ideal for a two-year-old and we couldn't be happier with her," Benner said."It's a strong field even with Volpe Veloce coming out, but we wouldn't switch her for anything else.
“We think she's pretty smart and she's extremely well bred so any black-type she gets will only increase her value along the way."Benner and Wynyard are open to all possibilities for McPhoebe in the spring and will consider a Melbourne campaign should her form warrant it.
"We'll see how she goes this weekend and how she comes up in the spring but there are lots of options, both here and in Melbourne, for those good sprinter-miler fillies like her," Benner said.