Adelaide trainer Stuart Gower considered starting stayer Darknconfidential in the Ballarat Cup but reasoned a weaker race over the same trip would be more beneficial.
Darknconfidential will instead run in the Hertz Handicap (2000m), a benchmark 84 grade race, after he was also entered for the Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday’s program.
“He’s a nice horse that is only just starting to furnish into himself and I still reckon he’s another six months away,” Gower said.
“Hopefully we can be back next year for the Cup, but this year, we’ll run in the easier race.”
Darknconfidential has won five of his 22 starts and contested Adelaide’s best staying three-year-old races last season, while at his most recent outing, he had his first start outside of South Australia.
The four-year-old finished second to Regal Lion, again an opponent on Saturday, after having little luck on the tighter circuit.
“A fortnight ago, when he went to Cranbourne, that was the first time he had travelled,” Gower said.
“He actually came through that really well and it has made him wake up a bit.
“The tighter track didn’t really suit him, he’s more of a horse that likes big, roomy tracks, so Ballarat should suit him better and he definitely needs a dry track too.
“He’ll run on Saturday and then have a few weeks off and then we’ll set him back for the autumn.”
With the Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville looming in March, Gower said that race could be on the radar for Darknconfidential, although no program has been officially set for the four-year-old.
“He’s pretty relaxed, and sticks on well, but whether he would get the two miles, I don’t know,” Gower said.
“We’ll get through Saturday first and a worst-case scenario there might end up being some nice country Cups for him.”
