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Classy mare Miss Fabulass will be a two-State acceptor at the weekend as Kris Lees plots a Stradbroke Handicap path with her.
Miss Fabulass has been nominated for the Open Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday along with the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
Entries for the Randwick race have been extended until tomorrow morning, whilst 20 horses were entered for the Eagle Farm feature.
Lees, aware that the Victory Stakes carries both exemption and ballot free status for the Group 1 Stradbroke (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 6, intends to dually accept with the mare.
"We'll see how both races shape up and then make a decision," he said this afternoon. "I'd like to see her draw a good barrier in at least one of the races."
Miss Fabulass was withdrawn from the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday when she drew poorly.
The daughter of unbeaten European champion Frankel and another champion Samantha Miss finished second and fourth respectively in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill in March.
She has since won a 1000m barrier trial at Gosford on May 5.
Miss Fabulass brilliantly won the Listed Tatts Classic (1200m) at Doomben last November, and subsequently finished second in The Buffering over the Stradbroke course at Eagle Farm in late December.
Miss Fabulass was given 51kg when Stradbroke weights were released today and is currently 26th in order of ballot, but her trainer is confident she will secure a start as there are certain to be a number of dropouts ahead of her from the original entry list.
Lees hopes to have three runners in Brisbane's feature sprint, with Chief Ironside (52kg and 28th in order) and Graff (also 52kg and 29th in order) also likely to gain berths.
Chief Ironside was a close fourth with 58.5kg to Dr Drill in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) last Friday, and Graff started $3.60 favorite when fifth to Ranier in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill a day later.
"At this stage, we are planning to run both horses next in the Stradbroke," Lees said.
"Chief Ironside was good in the Scone Cup at his second run back. He had to do a bit of work early and it told over the last bit.
"Graff had every chance, but we know what he is capable of doing on his day and the Stradbroke might just be the race he shows it."
Tactical Advantage (53.5kg) is also a Stradbroke entry, but will run next on the same day at Randwick in the Listed 1100m Bob Charley AO Stakes (formerly June Stakes), and another Stradbroke nomination, triple Group 1 winner Le Romain (55.5kg), is spelling.
Lees' unbeaten youngster The Bopper is unlikely to go to Brisbane for the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1400m) on the same program as the Stradbroke.
"A final decision hasn't been made, but it's likely he will go for a spell," Lees said.
The Bopper overcame a wide draw to outclass his rivals in the Inglis 2YO Challenge (1100m) at Scone last Friday, making it two impressive wins from as many starts.
Stablemate Kinloch was an Atkins entry, but has already gone to the paddock.
