An Elegant Fashion-free zone gives her main rivals a chance to plunder the lion's share in the $3 million Queen Mother Memorial Cup at Sha Tin tomorrow. The Hong Kong Derby winner and gallant Queen Elizabeth II Cup runner-up will be at home in her stall while 12 stayers - headed by the John Size-trained River Dancer - lay down their claims to take her on again in the $8 million ING Champions & Chater Cup at the same distance (2,400 metres) on June 1. Elegant Fashion is ineligible tomorrow as the conditions bar any winner of a Group One race in the past 12 months. The Jockey Club has brought the Queen Mother Memorial forward to three weeks before the Champions & Chater, providing the second tier of Hong Kong stayers with a perfect springboard to the big race. Size, the big-race genius this season, declared the Queen Mother Memorial 'an ideal race' for his late-maturing four-year-old River Dancer, owned by Jockey Club chairman Ronald Arculli. 'He certainly feels like he will run 2,400 metres, but whether they actually perform that way in a race might be a different thing altogether,' Size explained. 'Until you can see what they do over a journey in this environment, you never really know for sure. But he does look like it should suit him.' Size said River Dancer felt the effects of a hard run on firm ground when fourth to Japanese raider Eishin Preston in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin two weeks ago. 'From a trainer's point of view, he could have pulled up a bit better after that race. If there was more time between races, it would have made the trainer happier, put it that way,' Size said. 'But with Elegant Fashion not being eligible for the race, and being a Group Two worth $3 million, he had to be there.' Robbie Fradd retains the ride on River Dancer, whose promise and consistency has seen him creep from 103 to 119 in the handicap. He is the highest-rated horse in tomorrow's race and must shoulder 133 pounds at the ultimate distance. David Hayes is also using the Queen Mother Memorial to gauge the readiness of his out-and-out stayer Helene Vitality. 'As long as you don't look at him, he should have a great chance,' Hayes said. 'His coat is just like it would be if he was in the southern hemisphere - he looks shocking. 'But he's well in himself and I put him under the pump in a gallop on the course proper on Tuesday and he came through it with flying colours,' he added. The six-year-old is out of coat because of his trip to last year's Melbourne Cup. 'He had an operation to have some bone chips taken out after the Cup, and ended up staying in Australia for nearly six months,' Hayes said. 'Unfortunately, he re-acclimatized to southern hemisphere time and all horses there are now growing long coats for winter - just like he is.' Race rider Brett Prebble said: 'Looking at his form, there's no doubt 2,400 metres is his best distance and he gave me a nice feel in the gallop,' he said. 'If I rode a gallop like that back home, I'd say the horse was ready to win, or at least do something pretty serious.' Helene Vitality is the best handicapped horse in the race - a New Zealand Derby winner and US$2 million Dubai Sheema Classic runner-up, who will be receiving eight pounds from River Dancer.
