The All Aged Stakes will be the autumn carnival target for In The Congo but trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are still weighing up the best way to get there.
The three-year-old will launch his campaign in Saturday’s Group 1 Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill, his first start since a breakout spring in which he captured the San Domenico Stakes and edged out Anamoe in the Golden Rose.
While his first-up run and target race are locked in, there are several options in between, including the T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m), both at Randwick in April.
“The two confirmed races will be the Galaxy and the All Aged,” Bott said.
“Then it’s just which run in between best prepares him for the All Aged, that’s where he is going to be racing next.”
In The Congo claimed the Golden Rose at his only previous visit to Rosehill and has won two of his three starts over the Galaxy distance.
He has been given a solid grounding for his return with two barrier trials and a gallop between races last week and from a good draw in two, Bott is anticipating a bold first-up performance.
“He had a nice little hitout at Canterbury during the week, an exhibition gallop, and he is coming up well,” Bott said.
“He has got a nice campaign ahead I think.”
Waterhouse and Bott could be represented in all five Group 1 races on Saturday if they elect to go to the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) with dual acceptor Converge, rather than the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) in which they also have Riodini.
Entente is set to take on Verry Elleegant in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m), while last Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes winner Rise Of The Masses will back up in the Golden Slipper.
While only three horses have completed the Pago Pago Stakes-Golden Slipper double – Stratum in 2005 the most recent – Bott says Sydney’s wet autumn and the open nature of this year’s renewal could make the seven-day back-up a more attractive tactic.
“It’s probably a bit of an unorthodox preparation we’ve had, but maybe it can be the type of year where that can be effective,” Bott said.
“We’re going in there pretty fit, if it’s going to be a testing track we know we handle those conditions.
“He’s had the look here at Rosehill and I think there is still a bit of improvement to come.”
