Pentasia will need to pass a fitness test in the morning in order to take her place in the Ramornie Handicap (1200m) field at Grafton tomorrow.

Pentasia will gallop in the morning before the Ramornie Handicap. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Trainer Marc Quinn informed Racing New South Wales stewards today that the mare had been struggling with cramping issues and tying up, due to a tough workout on a sand track, and wants to gallop her the morning of the race before passing her fit to run.

Quinn is confident that Pentasia is in good enough condition to contest the Listed race and said he has had past success working his horses on the morning of a race.

“I’ve done it with horses in the past, galloping them sharply on the morning of the race and it has worked,” Quinn told TVN.

“I’ve never done it with her but I just want to put her under a little pressure to see if she pulls up okay from it.

“It is not ideal to have to deal with issues like this but I’ve learned to roll with the punches, just unfortunate when it is your best horse going in to one of the most important races of my career.”

Before news of her fitness concerns broke Pentasia, who has won almost half of her career starts, was considered one of the leading chances for the Ramornie Handicap after impressing during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

The Pentire mare recorded a strong victory in the Listed Chief De Beers (1110m) at Doomben in May and lost no admirers when finishing an unlucky fifth behind Howmuchdoyouloveme in the Lightning Handicap (1000m) last month.

Pentasia will carry 54kg tomorrow and will face Howmuchdoyouloveme, who has been allocated the top-weight of 60.5kg, two kilos better in the weights from their last meeting.