Grafton Cup plans for Code Word have been shelved with the four-year-old to line up in Sydney on Saturday.
Trainer John Marzol said Code Word would still be nominated for next Thursday’s country feature but was not expected to make the trip.
He is set to be given his first staying test in Saturday’s One Club, One ATC Membership Handicap (2400m) at Randwick.
“I’m about 99 per cent sure that he’ll run on Saturday in Sydney,” Marzol, who trains at Moruya on the NSW south coast, said.
“I put him in the Sydney race as a late nomination, I didn’t think there were many in it.”
Code Word is enjoying a purple patch of form with two wins and a second at his past three starts in Sydney.
He finished strongly to win over 1900m on a heavy track at Canterbury on June 1 and then returned to town on June 11 and dispatched his rivals by almost four lengths over 2000m at Randwick.
The son of More Than Ready found one better at Rosehill over the same journey last time out but Marzol still took plenty out of the gelding’s 1-1/4-length defeat by The Verminator.
“He hit the line well and was taking ground off the other horse, but the winner just got a lovely run cutting the corner. It was just a champion ride by Damien Oliver (on The Verminator),” Marzol said.
Code Word was purchased by Marzol earlier this year and in six starts since has won three races and been placed twice.
Rather than being concerned about stepping Code Word up to 2400m for the first time, Marzol is looking forward to it.
“He should go well judging by the way he’s been working, and I think the extra 400 metres will suit him,” he said.
“Yeah it’s a test, but I think he’ll get it with the way he’s been settling and the way he’s been hitting the line in his last two starts.”
Apprentice Blake Spriggs has the ride on Code Word who will face six rivals including promising three-year-old Peck.
The Peter Snowden-trained Peck was installed $2.70 favourite on TAB Sportsbet with Code Word on the third line of betting at $4.
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