Trainer Chris Waller will rely on hardened stayers Junoob and Moriarty to win a record-equalling third Doomben Cup after deciding not to accept with three-year-old Vilanova.
Waller is on target to join Tommy Smith and John Wheeler as trainers who have prepared three Doomben Cup winners.
He won the race with Metal Bender in 2010 and then again last year with Beaten Up.
Junoob, Blake Shinn
Saturday’s renewal will probably be the winter carnival swan song for Junoob and Moriarty.
Waller’s racing manager Liam Prior said both horses had pleased since they ran in the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.
“However, realistically we won’t determine the future for either horse until after the Doomben Cup. They both raced in the Sydney autumn on heavy tracks and have been up for a while.”
Wet tracks have dogged both Junoob and Moriarty and they struck another one when fourth and fifth respectively in the Hollindale Stakes behind Streama.
Prior said the stable was hoping the mainly fine weather in Brisbane would hold up until Saturday.
“While their runs on the heavy track at the Coast were good, we obviously would prefer it drier,” he said.
Waller has an exceptional strike rate with imported horses and Moriarty and Junoob are just two of them.
Moriarty won the Brisbane Cup last year for jockey Nash Rawiller who switches to Junoob on Saturday.
Melbourne jockey Craig Newitt will stick with Moriarty after riding him in the Hollindale Stakes.
Waller decided not to accept with Vilanova who ran fourth in the Rough Habit Plate last Saturday.
Vilanova has the option of running in the Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) on Saturday week in the lead up to the Queensland Derby (2400m) on June 7.
A field of 10 was declared for the Cup after trainer Gerald Ryan paid a late acceptance fee for Angel Of Mercy who had missed the second pay up deadline.
Ryan said he was hoping to get a dry track for Angel Of Mercy who is lengths inferior of a wet surface.
The Hawkes Racing training partnership was happy when favourite Leebaz drew barrier two.
There is only a short run to the first turn from the Doomben Cup start and horses drawn inside barriers can have an advantage.
