The Luke Tabone-trained Just As Well will make her comeback in Saturday night’s The Hygain Make Mine Cullen after an unexplained incident caused the mare to finish at the back-of-the-field in her last outing on October 19.
“It was a little bit strange and I’m not entirely sure what happened,” Tabone said. “The vet’s examination didn’t find anything wrong with her.
“Something might have come out of place in her back that might have affected her performance - because she went pretty ordinary.”
The six-year-old trialed on October 29 at Melton and made her way to the top easily in a three-horse field, staving off challengers to finish in a mile rate of 1.57.3.
“She went okay (at the trial), but her work during the week has been even better,” he said.
“Hopefully she is onward and upward from here, but we might be up against it in this race, but hopefully we find a race in a couple of weeks’ time that is a little bit more suitable.”
The winner of over $120,000 has drawn two for Saturday night’s $25,000 feature with champion reinsman Chris Alford to take the steer.
“I think she will get to the fence, but she will definitely take a sit on something else, because I think they are much better than her,” he said.
The Hygain Make Mine Cullen is the final leg of the Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown.
Rakero Rebel (Jess Tubbs) and Jilliby Willow (Marg Lee) currently share top spot on the leaderboard after respective wins in the Queen Of The Pacific and The Angelique, and the two will go head-to-head in Saturday night's series decider.
Eight points will go to the winner of the Make Mine Cullen, with five for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth.
LEADERBOARD: Rakero Rebel 11, Jilliby Willow 11, Aardies Express 5, Sew What 5, Tay Tay 2, Sahara Breeze 2, Sweet Bella 1, Classic Angelina 1