Shellscrape for Oakleigh Plate first-up

By Mathew Toogood

SYDNEY, Feb 11 AAP - The Oakleigh Plate is now the first-up mission for Shellscrape after he was scratched from his planned return in the Southern Cross Stakes.

"He's got a bit of a sore foot and I have had to treat it," trainer Chris Waller said.

Shellscrape was the pre-post favourite for Saturday's Group Three 1200m sprint at Randwick prior to his withdrawal on Friday morning.

"I'm going to try and get permission to trial him on Tuesday (at Rosehill) and he'll go first-up into the Oakleigh Plate," Waller said.

The Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) is at Caulfield on February 26.

While the Group One-winning Shellscrape will be missing from the Randwick meeting, the entire's younger full-sister Red Tracer is favourite for the Group Two Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

Red Tracer impressed in a first-up win over 1200m at Randwick two weeks ago and is making the step to stakes company for the first time on Saturday.