Modella staying in NSW for Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas instead of travelling to Queensland

Trainer Lee Curtis has opted to keep untapped filly Modella in NSW for the Hawkesbury Guineas before deciding on a Queensland Group 1 target.

Modella will run in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Trainer Lee Curtis is hopeful the decision to keep untapped filly Modella closer to home for Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) can lead to a potential Group 1 Brisbane winter carnival raid.

Curtis, who trains alongside his wife Cherie, nominated Modella for Hawkesbury’s stand-alone meeting as well as Brisbane’s Group 2 $350,000 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on the same day.

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“We have decided to stay here,” Curtis said.

“We just think she was a bit keen last start (in the James Carr) so have changed a bit of gear with her and she has been working quite well in that.

“We want to try her at the 1400m and then if all goes well and she runs well, we will look to go up to Queensland.

“She could end up in a Stradbroke or an (Queensland) Oaks or The Roses, I just don’t know and we just want to get through this weekend before.”

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A three-year-old daughter of Castelvecchio, Modella has the option of heading on a fillies’ Classic path or being kept over the shorter trips.

The Curtis’s plan to have her among the nominations for the Stradbroke Handicap, which was won last year by a three-year-old filly when Stefi Magnetica put her name up in lights.

The Hawkesbury Guineas is a proven stepping stone for future Group 1 horses with last year’s winner Schwarz going on to claim the William Reid Stakes earlier this year.

Modella, rated a $15, was among 23 nominations for the Hawkesbury Guineas alongside Snitzanova ($4.50 favourite), Emirate ($6.50) and Just Party ($6.50).

The final field is set to be revealed on Wednesday morning.

James McDonald breaks through for his first of the afternoon with Lilac for @[e-mail]/7FBjANYkPl

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Modella was beaten but far from disgraced in her first crack in stakes grade last start when she was trapped three deep but battled on for fifth in the Group 3 James HB Carr Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

“She got caught deep and then the pace went out of the race so everything went against her,” Curtis said.

“But the run in itself was huge.

“She is going good and her work on Tuesday morning was good so she is on target and we’ve just got to wait to see if she draws a barrier.

“But if she was to draw badly, we probably wouldn’t even run her because we don’t want to go through (last start) again.”

Meanwhile, Curtis confirmed exciting filly Bauhinia has returned to work to begin preparing for the Sydney spring carnival.

Bauhinia hasn’t raced since finishing down the track in the $3m Magic Millions Guineas in January with the stable planning a slow build up towards her return.

A date with the $10m Golden Eagle is among the options available to Bauhinia in the spring.

Originally published as Modella staying in NSW for Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas instead of travelling to Queensland