CAULFIELD-based co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent knew they had to get Exflytations out of Victoria if the bold front running mare was to win another race.
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The pair, along with their racing manager Matt Finn, sent the mare to Sydney to be looked after at Warwick Farm by Gabrielle Englebrecht.
On Sunday, Exflytations will have her third NSW start in the Hunter Rivers Stayers Cup (2300m) at Muswellbrook with Andrew Gibbons to ride her.
At her first run in this state she was resuming from a freshen-up when seventh over 1900m at Canterbury but ran a much improved race when seventh, beaten only three lengths, over 2200m at Warwick Farm.
"There are no suitable races in Victoria for her in the foreseeable future and we had to get her away from the wet tracks down here," Finn said.
"She is a mare that needs a run or two to bring her to her top and she is fit now and this distance really suits her.
"We wanted a jockey who knows Muswellbrook well and is riding in top form and Andrew fits the bill perfectly.
"She is normally a front running mare but she has won and been placed after coming from just off the pace.
"It will be up to Andrew to decide where to place her and that will depend on how the race pans out early."
She is a mare that needs a run or two to bring her to her top and she is fit now and this distance really suits her.
- Matt Finn
Exflytations is the winner of four races ranging from 1600m to 2200m at Ballarat, Moe, Packenham and Geelong.
"She is no world beater, just a good, honest mare and hopefully we have found a race that suits her," Finn said.
Two jockeys, Aaron Bullock and Wendy Peel, return to riding at this meeting after enforced holidays.
Peel was injured in a fall at Tamworth in March and has worked hard in the gym to enable her to return to riding.
Bullock has not ridden since September last year and, after seeing weight blow out, had to work hard to get it back down again.
One of his rides is on the Stephen Jones-trained Mr Wong in the last race, the Muswellbrook RSL Golf Club Class One (1000m).
Mr Wong, like his rider, is also returning after a lengthy break but was ridden by Bullock when a close second in a trial at Muswellbrook nine days ago.
