Senior rider Jamie Bates is set to move to Victoria after tomorrow's premier meeting, headlined by the group 3 White Robe Lodge Handicap and the listed Dunedin Guineas.
Bates rides Belle Miraaj in the Guineas, and teams up with Sucre in the White Robe.
Sucre's trainer, Sean Bellew, has had a 20-year association with Bates and would love to send him off on the right note.
''If I could win a group race with him, I'll be more than thrilled,'' Bellew said.
''I value his opinion. He's a good jockey, a good senior rider, and a good horseman. His heady advice helps you move forward with a horse.''
Moving forward is one of the options for Bates from the 1600m point as he tries to find a spot to slot in from the wide barrier draw of 15.
Other than the barrier draw, Bellew could not be happier with the daughter of Ishiguru.
''I really think it's her time,'' he said.
''She's done nothing wrong this season. The only time we really failed was when we ran fourth in the Timaru Cup and she banged her hock on the float on the way up and she was just feeling that a little bit.''
Bellew gave the mare a short break after the Timaru run on December 28 before opting for an open sprint at Gore on January 17.
''I elected to run her over 1200m at Gore to fit her out for this race because it was either go to this race or the Timaru Stakes, which was poorly placed at Ashburton last week, I thought, one week before a group race.
''Her work has been super-impressive this week. She's got a bit of a visitors' draw, though, but it's a long straight down the back and Batesy thinks he can work his way in.''
Sucre has earned more than $166,000 in her 36 career starts and Bellew thinks a group 3 win is nothing less than what she deserves.
''She's an exceptional horse and has been always a bridesmaid - and she's due one.
''She's been listed [stakes] placed on numerous occasions and it's her turn to shine.
''I said this morning to a couple of the lads who have shares in her that only bad luck can beat her.''
Sucre has finished no worse than fourth in her four starts this season and Bellew has been gearing everything towards tomorrow's group 3 1600m.
''I've cut a deliberate path to this race. She's been sparingly raced with only four starts this season.
''It's been a main target. To win a group 3 race would be a pinnacle in her career and in mine, too.''
Bellew's only other runner on the day is Saperavious in the rating 65 1600m.
She is in top form, coming off a second at Gore, which Bellew said was a ''blessing in disguise''.
''She stays in the rating 65 [grade] and steps up to her preferred distance of a mile. Robbie Hannam is back on her, so if he can ride her like a thief again and go to the front, we'll see how we go.''
Senior rider Kylie Williams will not ride at tomorrow's meeting after being dislodged from a horse at Ashburton on Wednesday.
She was released from hospital later that night, after avoiding serious injury.
