Sydney colt Amorino will familiarise himself with the Caulfield circuit on Saturday ahead of his Group One assignment there in October.
Trainer Gerald Ryan says the Group Three McNeil Stakes (1200m) is the preferred option ahead of the Run To The Rose in Sydney which will be the spring launch pad for the unbeaten Pierro.
Amorino’s defection to Melbourne will further deplete the Sydney feature with Anthony Cummings expected to run only one of his two entries, All Too Hard entered for two races at Caulfield as well as Sydney and Pierro’s Gai Waterhouse-trained stablemate Kabayan likely to head to the McNeil.
All Too Hard, a half-brother to champion Black Caviar, holds nominations for both three-year-old races as well as the McNeil and the Group Two Memsie against older horses in Melbourne.
“We are looking to place him to his best advantage,” Ryan said.
“He trialled well the other day and has come back in good order.
“He is nominated for the Golden Rose but if he goes to Melbourne on Saturday he will stay down there for his lead-up races to the Guineas.
Pierro is the $3 favourite for the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 13 ahead of All Too Hard ($4.60) with Samaready next at $18.
The winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes and third in Pierro’s Golden Slipper, Samaready is also among the 23 McNeil entries while nine horses were nominated for the Run To The Rose.
Steven Arnold will ride Amorino who finished ninth in the Slipper.
“He rode him in the Slipper so he knows him well,” Ryan said.
The winner of two of his five starts, Amorino is a son of Snitzel who Ryan trained to win the 2006 Oakleigh Plate.
He claimed a debut win last October over Rusambo, winner of Saturday’s Mckenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The weather will determine whether Ahdashim joins Amorino on the road trip to Melbourne with the comeback sprinter entered for the Listed theshark.com.au Stakes (1100m).
Ahdashim hasn’t raced since suffering ligament damage during his win in an 1100m quality handicap at Rosehill last October.
“If it’s still going to be wet down there, Ahdashim will stay home and go to the Concorde Stakes on Saturday week,” Ryan said.
“He has had two trials and appears to have come back well.”