Trainer John Zielke is confident he has made the right decision paying a late nomination for Worthy Cause in the Ipswich Cup.

Zielke originally intended sending Worthy Cause for a spell and then bringing him back for a Melbourne Spring carnival campaign.

But he has had a change of heart and Worthy Cause will line up in Saturday's Listed race over 2150 metres.

"When I saw there were only 10 original nominations I said to the owners we might as well push on for a start," Zielke said.

"We will still have time to get him ready for the spring."

Worthy Cause has had four starts, all in stakes company, this campaign and not finished worse than fifth.

"He just hasn't been able to win," Zielke said.

"Things have gone wrong and they happened again last Saturday when he was fifth in the Wayne Wilson Handicap.

"A lot of people have said he probably should have won. It has been the story of the entire campaign."

Senior rider Bobby El-Issa will replace apprentice Luke Dittman on Worthy Cause.

El-Issa has been riding for Zielke during the winter.

"Luke has had no luck on Worthy Cause and it might be a case of change of rider and change of luck," Zielke said.

"One thing I don't expect Worthy Cause to have any trouble with is the 2150 metres around Ipswich."

El-Issa will be riding on a stay pending an appeal against a suspension from last Saturday for causing interference in the JJ Atkins Stakes.

Worthy Cause raced well in Melbourne last spring, winning the Listed Paris Lane Stakes and finishing third in the Group Three Eclipse Stakes.

"We will follow a similar path this spring. I feel he is up to that class," Zielke said.

Dittman will ride the Zielke-trained two-year-old Spot The Diff the Bundamba Plate (1100m).

"Spot The Diff has paid the price with the handicapper for winning four races and $241,000, so Luke's one-and-a-half kilo claim will be invaluable," Zielke said.

His other runner in the Plate will be Happy Event with three-kilo claiming apprentice Josh Oliver to ride.