New Zealand trainers' premiership frontrunner Lisa Latta is taking no chances with the least known in a select team of Kiwi-trained horses at Randwick on Saturday.
In what will be her first Sydney starter, Latta will saddle promising strike-rate three-year-old Platinum Kingdom in the $100,000 South Pacific Classic.
And while New Zealand might have better prospects of Doncaster Mile day success, especially with Habibi and More Than Sacred in the Australian Oaks, Latta expects Platinum Kingdom to race well, providing he behaves himself.
Latta says she is more concerned about what happens before the race than during it as Platinum Kingdom starts an Australian campaign that will have the Brisbane winter carnival as its main focus.
"He can really gallop but he gets a little bit wound up before the start and that's a worry going over there on a big day like Doncaster day," Latta said.
As insurance against Platinum Kingdom completely falling to pieces, Latta is bringing jockey Jonathan Riddell to Sydney for the ride.
Riddell knows Platinum Kingdom well, having ridden him to a Trentham win against older opposition last month.
He is also familiar with Australian racing as the regular jockey of Jimmy Choux, a horse he partnered to win the 2011 Rosehill Guineas.
"I wanted Jonathan just because the horse gets worked up," Latta said.
"I don't want the horse going all that way and getting late scratched."
Platinum Kingdom is the winner of seven races from 14 starts and his emergence has helped Latta share top billing in the race for this season's New Zealand trainers' title.