Fly The Flag will head to Invercargill today for the Southland Oaks tomorrow after entering the field from first emergency.
The filly, who is trained at West Melton by Margo Nyhan, was also an acceptor at Addington tonight. She has been scratched from that engagement.
Nyhan and partner Peter Davis were busy last night making arrangements after the late development.
"We have scratched Zealous Lady at Addington so she can accompany Fly The Flag to Invercargill as a mate, even though there is not a race for her," Davis said.
"Hopefully, they can travel down with Ray Jenkins, otherwise Margot will take the float.""Obviously, Jumpforjoy is the class horse of the Oaks but we rate our filly," Davis said.
"She has been placed in her four starts in Southland against colts and geldings and she has not had much luck."
Fly The Flag has won at Westport (twice), Reefton and Waikouaiti this season. She ran My Mei to a neck at Winton at her last start.
She ran fourth in the Sales series race at Rangiora last month won by Bettor Cover Lover in record time.
The scratching of Candy's Dream allowed Fly The Flag to enter the field.
Candy's Dream, a winner at Addington last Saturday, has injured a tendon.
"She did the damage in her race last Saturday. She has been good all week, but I had the leg scanned this morning as a precaution and there is a hole in the tendon," Paul Ellis, her Yaldhurst trainer, said yesterday. "She is out in the paddock now."
The Southland Oaks and Southern Supremacy Stakes are being run under a different format this year with the fields compiled on the basis of stake earners in their age groups from racing in Southland.
Jumpforjoy heads the ratings for the Oaks with $19,500 from three wins and a second in four starts. She has not raced for eight weeks after having three bone chips removed from her right hock.
The operation was carried out a fortnight after she returned from Auckland and she has had a fortnight out of work.
"She seems good. It is a bit of a risk fresh up but I am hoping her class can carry her through," Clark Barron, her trainer, said.
Franco Ledger, winner of six of his eight starts and $33,598 in Southland heads the Supremacy Stakes ratings.
A start for Franco Ledger and his stablemate, Christian Ruler, will depend on the results of blood tests available this morning, trainer Hamish Hunter said last night.
The tests were undertaken after the pair stopped badly in the New Zealand Derby at Addington last Saturday.
"We are just waiting for the results of the tests which have been delayed by the Easter break," Hunter said.
"The results would decide a start but both horses seem good, especially Franco Ledger."
