Brenton Avdulla will detour to Newcastle en route to Randwick races tomorrow to ride four horses - including classy mare Lucia Valentina - for trainer Kris Lees at the Broadmeadow barrier trial session.
Lucia Valentina will contest the second heat - an Open trial over 950m - on the course proper as she nears the beginning of her spring preparation.
A Group 1 winner against her own age and sex as a three-year-old in the autumn, Lucia Valentina is being aimed toward the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18.
Lucia Valentina is currently a $21 chance in latest Cup betting on TAB.com.au, and her trainer is "looking ahead" by asking Avdulla to ride her in tomorrow's hitout.
Hugh Bowman rode the mare during the autumn when she joined Lees' team from New Zealand. He won the Group 1 Vinery Stakes (2000m) on her and was also aboard when she finished a luckless third to Rising Romance and Zanbagh in the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick.
Lees today said Avdulla's booking for Lucia Valentina tomorrow did not necessarily mean he would ride her when she resumes at Randwick on Saturday week.
She will run in either the Group 2 wfa Warwick Stakes (1400m) or Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1300m); the latter against her own sex.
"I figure she will get around 51.5kg or 52kg in the Caulfield Cup," Lees said.
"That would give us a couple of options and Brenton could certainly ride at that weight.
"Of course that's a fair way down the track. As a four-year-old now, the mare will be taking on seasoned horses and has to prove she can handle that.
"On the form she showed last season, I'm optimistic she will take the next step. Obviously, there's no doubting her ability."
Avdulla will also ride comeback stayer Hathras (Heat 1), Newcastle Cup prospect Oriental Lady (Heat 3) and recent stable acquisition Brook Road (Heat 4) in other 950m trials before heading back down the freeway to compete at the midweek meeting at Randwick's Kensington track where his first mount is in the opener at 1.28pm.
Avdulla has developed a good association with the Lees stable, and is unbeaten on Oriental Lady in three rides - the first at Newcastle and the next two in Sydney.
The imported mare runs in the Listed Premier's Cup (1800m) at Rosehill on August 30 as her lead-up to the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) at Broadmeadow on September 18.
Brook Road, a promising mare who was prepared by Bart and James Cummings when she won her last two starts in Sydney (her overall record is three wins from five starts), was purchased by Australian Bloodstock and syndicated to clients.
Another Australian Bloodstock purchase Ay No Digas, like Oriental Lady, is on a Newcastle Cup path.
He also trials tomorrow in the opening 950m heat.
At this stage, he will race next at Rosehill on August 30 in a Benchmark 80 Handicap over 2400m.
Lees also will unveil another important new acquisition, former New Zealander Hot Rod, at tomorrow's trial session, where he has more than 30 horses engaged.
Hot Rod, part-owned by Rob Ferguson, finished sixth to Miss Mossman in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 15 at her latest outing.
The Pentire mare trials against Oriental Lady and Lees' smart sprinter Senta De Noche.
