Wagga trainer Wayne Carroll is confident Canberra is the right option for Sumdeel

Sumdeel highlighted her potential with a maiden win at the Wagga Gold Cup carnival earlier this year and heads to Canberra on the back of a nice effort at Rosehill last start.

The four-year-old mare hit the line nicely to finish eighth but it prompted a slight change in Carroll's original plan.

That run was the first of three Highway Handicaps, all two weeks apart, that he had picked out for Sumdeel. But Carroll has opted to go to Canberra on Friday for the Class One Plate (1600m) instead of a Class Three Highway (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

"Because she went down last time, got snagged back through the field and then got caught in behind, she would be a class one horse going to a class three and I don't think she would have got a run in Sydney on Saturday," Carroll explained.

"Where I could go to Canberra, half the distance and I'm assured of getting a run."

Blaike McDougall takes the ride on Sumdeel, who is drawn barrier two in the nine-horse field and gets in with 57 kilograms.

"I think she's a good chance," Carroll said.

"It's a heavy nine and she loves the wet. I've been wanting to race her forward for ages and now over a bit more distance, she can jump and be handy and just roll. She can roll along at a nice genuine tempo.

"The idea is go to Canberra, then she's still on track, if she races well, for the Highway over 1800 in two weeks time. It's all about performance but I'm really happy with her.

"The last week, she came home, ate up well and she's worked well. She's really relaxed, so where she sits today, I couldn't be any happier with her."

Carroll was happy with Sumdeel's effort at Rosehill.

"In Sydney, she ran the second fastest last 600 sectional of the race. The winner was the quickest and she was a smidgen slower than her," he said.

"She just got a bit too far back, and then a horse came back in front of her and she got snagged right back."

Carroll and Mitch Beer are the only two Southern District trainers with horses in action on Tony Campbell Memorial Cup day at Canberra.

Beer has four in, highlighted by Enzed Beer and Sky Call in the feature race.

Meantime, Carroll will also take four horses to Albury on Saturday.

Sleigh's Belle, on debut, and Rock 'N' Tori will both contest the Purjen Couriers Maiden Plate (1175m).

"Sleigh's Belle is a nice filly. She's a big strapping filly. She I'd think will step out to a mile but she's showed us something," Carroll said.

"Rock 'N' Tori is just needing racing. She's a beautiful horse and can gallop. She's ready to go back to the races and probably wants 1400. From a bad draw, with a bit of luck, she could be in it."

Carroll will also trial two new stable additions, Defiant Award and Defiant Heart in the first of two barrier trials at Albury.

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