Trainer Gerald Ryan is prepared to sacrifice a spring campaign for Melito to capitalise on the filly's rich vein of current form.Melito claimed her first Group One victory when she beat Hot Danish in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick in April to justify the high opinion Ryan has always had of her ability.Her three subsequent starts have netted three Group One placings, the latest when third in the Doomben 10,000 behind Hot Danish and Whobegotyou.She will continue her Queensland campaign in Saturda

Trainer Gerald Ryan is prepared to sacrifice a spring campaign for Melito to capitalise on the filly's rich vein of current form.

Melito claimed her first Group One victory when she beat Hot Danish in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick in April to justify the high opinion Ryan has always had of her ability.

Her three subsequent starts have netted three Group One placings, the latest when third in the Doomben 10,000 behind Hot Danish and Whobegotyou.

She will continue her Queensland campaign in Saturday's $1 million Stradbroke Handicap and all going well, will contest the Winter Stakes two weeks later.

"The owners and I are prepared to forego the spring," Ryan said.

"She is here in the best form of her career and while she is up and flying she will run in both the Stradbroke and the Winter Stakes.

"While she's in this sort of form we are better to keep her going rather than worry about the spring."

Melito will be reunited with Corey Brown in the Stradbroke after Blake Shinn said he would not be able to make the 51.5kg she will carry on Saturday.

Brown was Melito's regular partner until the autumn when he was sidelined through suspension and injury.

Shinn took over and rode her to her TJ Smith win as well as her second to Hot Danish in the All Aged and second to Albert The Fat in the BTC Cup before the 10,000.

Brown was aboard last spring when Melito finished second in the Thousand Guineas and third in the Wakeful Stakes before her disastrous run in the VRC Oaks.

The filly was a long last after Brown eased her down fearing she had a serious problem during the race.

The Oaks experience was the catalyst for the decision to concentrate on sprint races with Melito and the rewards have come.

Although extremely happy with her condition, Ryan fears Melito's biggest obstacle in the Stradbroke could be her weight.

The last two fillies to win the race - Private Steer in 2003 and Dane Ripper in 1997 - carried 48 and 50 kilograms respectively.

"She is going to have carry a record weight for a filly to win," Ryan said.

"That's a big ask but I am very happy with her since the 10,000.

Melito is on the third line of betting alongside Catapulted for the Stradbroke at $8 with TAB Sportsbet.

Catapulted's Mark Kavanagh-trained stablemate Whobegotyou is the $2.50 favourite ahead of Ortensia at $7.

Catapulted forced his way into the field with victory over Border Rebel in Saturday's QTC Cup with the winner an automatic qualifier.

Border Rebel is the likely second emergency as the field stands before Wednesday's final acceptances.