Victorian trainer Brent Stanley has been forced to look interstate with stayer Red Alto who will tackle the might of Chris Waller at Randwick.
Red Alto is one of 13 nominations for a 2400m-race on Saturday in which Waller has entered 11 and Jamie Thomsen one, Praise Songs.
Thomsen has indicated Praise Songs will be heading to Kembla Grange on Saturday.
Stanley said a lack of suitable options in Melbourne had forced his hand and he put Red Alto in the Sydney race when nominations were extended.
He said the only staying race available to Red Alto in August was a 2500m-open handicap at Flemington on August 11.
But he expects that race will be too tough for the gelding who holds a rating of 82.
“There’s only two races available to him unless you ask him to carry a big weight,” Stanley said.
“There’s a 2040-metre race at Moonee Valley on Saturday which is too short or run him over 2500 metres the following week in a race he can’t win.
“You look at that 2500-metre race at Flemington and there’ll be some serious animals in it.
“If you’ve got a horse in Melbourne that’s not a stakes horse, there’s no races for you.”
With the lack of options, Stanley said he was planning an assault on either Adelaide or Sydney on Saturday week, but after Red Alto’s gallop on Monday, he decided to bring the trip forward.
“A poor draw would be the only reason he won’t go,” Stanley said.
“If it comes down to ability he can beat all of them after he took forever to come up this time.
“He was beaten a whisker in Adelaide and then he’s been running all right without any luck.
“He’s been getting back, and inside, and things have been stopping in front of him when he should have been going forward.
“He ran a good fourth the other day at Flemington and all going well he’ll be hard to beat.”
Red Alto has 58kg on Saturday, a weight he shares with Exoteric.
The Waller-trained Sayed, also a nomination at Moonee Valley, has 62kg with My Giuliano second topweight with 59.5kg.
