Outside barriers have forced Gary Portelli to scratch one of his Canterbury runners and confirmed the tactics for another.

The trainer withdrew Quelle Beaute when she drew 13 in the 1250m fillies race while Straturbo will jump from 14 in the 1100m sprint.

The four-year-old's usual pattern is to lead and even if Portelli wanted to try something new, the draw has cancelled out the option.

"The instructions to Damien Thornton will be simple. Lead at all costs," Portelli said.

"This is the perfect race for him so I have to run him but I couldn't believe I had three horses at the meeting and two of them drew the outside.

"Straturbo is a consistent horse whose win record should be better."

Straturbo has won two 1000m races from 15 starts and run second a frustrating seven times, mostly by short margins.

Tommy Berry will ride Portelli's other runner, Unforgivable, in the 1900m race on the program.

The trainer was encouraged to back the mare up over the distance after her fast-finishing fifth in a 1600m race at Gosford on Friday.

"I thought she was no hope at Gosford and then the last 50 metres she really got going," he said.

"Another 100 metres and who knows? She was flying at the end of it so we will give her a chance."

Portelli's Warwick Farm neighbour Guy Walter is also hoping a step up in distance will be the key to Fantastic Ballad in the no metro win race over 1550 metres.

After his close fourth to stablemate Zauberflote over 1200m at Warwick Farm, Fantastic Ballad was beaten more than three lengths over the same distance at Randwick on Boxing Day when he started favourite.

"Overall I thought he was disappointing," Walter said.

"He should get every chance from barrier one and hopefully the extra distance helps him."