Stablemates Dusty Star and Amah Rock are likely to be assigned Brisbane winter missions in the coming weeks.
Trainer Peter Morgan will assess the two horses after they run at Caulfield on Saturday but is keen on the idea of a winter campaign for both of them.
He said Amah Rock could be a Queensland Guineas type while Dusty Star would benefit from a trip away.
Morgan said Dusty Star, while a Group Two winner of the Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield as three-year-old, wasn’t the most genuine horse going around and racing in the opposite direction would be a new challenge for him.
“It might do him good because he is a bit of a dishonest horse,” Morgan said.
James Winks will ride Dusty Star in Saturday’s feature event, the $100,000 Pink Ribbon Cup (1200m) after the gelding just failed to hold off Diplomatic Force when a first-up second over 1170 metres at Wangaratta on April 1.
“He should have won that day,” Morgan said.
“If he hadn’t have left the fence he would have won but he let the winner (Diplomatic Force) up inside him.”
Dusty Star faces stronger opposition on Saturday including Freereturn, Under The Eiffel and Pago Rock who has been transferred from Peter Moody to join the David Hayes stable.
Morgan said Dusty Star, who is a frontrunner, was below his best last spring and after just two runs he turned him out again.
“He didn’t come up that well last time,” Morgan said.
“The Australian Guineas the previous autumn took a bit out of him.
“I am pretty happy with him now but not happy with the barrier draw (13) on Saturday because he is a leader and he’s going to have to work hard to get across,” Morgan said.
Amah Rock won his first two starts including the Mitchell McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley but hasn’t won in four starts since.
However Morgan believes he is still untapped and has hopes that he can go to a higher level.
“The plan is to take him to Brisbane for some good races,” Morgan said.
He said it was also an opportunity to get some weight off Amah Rock’s back, particularly as he is not a big horse and has 60kg on Saturday.
“Because he’s not a real big horse those sorts of weights are a bit hard for him,” Morgan said.
Last start Amah Rock carried 58kg when a length fourth to Vain Attraction over 1000 metres at Moonee Valley on March 31 but will be much better suited in Saturday’s Cath White Memorial Handicap (1400m).
“It was a good first-up run but it was a bit short for him,” Morgan said.
On Saturday he is $4.40 second favourite with TAB Sportsbet behind three-time winner Sir Fernando ($3.70).
