Mark Oberhardt

BRISBANE Jan 30 AAP - The lure of big money in QTIS bonus incentives will keep speedster Agitate in Queensland this autumn.

Agitate's stablemate Better Than Ready heads to Melbourne on Thursday night to run in the Group Three Rubiton Stakes (1100m) on Saturday week and Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on February 22.

For a fleeting moment trainer Kelly Schweida considered also taking Agitate south but a check of the racing calendar quickly doused that suggestion.

"He is eligible for QTIS bonus payments and the money is just too good to go south and take on the better horses," Schweida said.

The QTIS scheme is for Queensland bred two and three-year -old horses and lifts first prizemoney from $32,000 to $56,000.

Schweida said Agitate only had six months left to take advantage of the scheme before turning four.

Ironically, Agitate will resume from a spell against older horses in the Canadian Club Hcp (1020m) at Doomben on Saturday.

"Agitate was set to resume at the Sunshine Coast last Sunday in a QTIS race but I scratched him because of the heavy track, big weight and wide alley," Schweida said.

The son of Sequalo won a trial at Doomben on January 21 recording the fastest of the ten 820m heats stopping the clock at 49 seconds with a final 600m in a sensational 32.9.

He beat A Little Bit Dipsy who was a good third at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.