Only one of the two high-class New Zealand mares trained by Jamie Richards will line up at Caulfield.

Probabeel is set to run in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) on Saturday while Avantage, also entered in the Cockram along with the Group 1 Memsie Stakes, is set to remain in New Zealand for the early weight-for-age race of the spring.

Avantage is entered for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley in October while she is also eligible for a $1 million bonus if successful in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

The mare is eligible for the bonus having won the NZ Breeders Stakes at Te Rapa in April.

Of Avantage’s 16 wins, all in New Zealand, nine have been attained at Group 1 level with the ownership group hoping to add to that record.

On the otherhand, the connections of Probabeel have their sights set on the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley in October.

Probabeel ran seventh in the race last year on a track that was not suitable for the mare being rated in soft range.

The mare returned from New Zealand in the autumn to win her first two starts at Caulfield, the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes and the Group 1 Futurity Stakes before striking a wet track in The All-Star Mile, finishing 12th to Mugatoo.

Probabeel then headed to Sydney to run second to Nettoyer in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick.

Richards said Probabeel had a couple of trials under the belt in preparation for her return and was taken to Caulfield on Tuesday for a gallop.

“Damian (Lane) was happy with her and everything seems to be going the right way at this stage,” Richards told RSN.

“Owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay are keen to have another crack at the Cox Plate.

“We’ll take it one run at a time and be guided by that.”

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au