Sheza Alibi will step up to 2000m for the first time when she runs in the Group 1 Might And Power at Caulfield.
That will then give trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman three weeks to freshen Sheza Alibi for a crack at the Group 1 Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on October 31.
Moody said Sheza Alibi had done so well since her impressive victory in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12 that the mare needs another run before the Golden Eagle.
Moody reasoned Sheza Alibi would get too much weight for his liking in the Toorak Handicap on the same day as the Might And Power.
And looking at the long-term picture, Moody said by running her at 2000m now it will open more doors next year.
“I think she gets too much weight in the Toorak and the weight-for-age race I think will suit her better,” Moody said.
“There might be 10 or 12 runners, rather than 16 in a Toorak with 57 (kg) or 58 on her back.
“It’s 2000 metres and then she’ll go three weeks back to the 1500 metres of the Golden Eagle.
“It gives her good exposure for the future and experience at 2000 metres.
“She’s done that well in seven days. I think it makes life easy and I don’t have to train her.
“I think if you look at history over a long time, a lot of nice horses have won over a mile-and-a-quarter and then come back to that mile mark in 21 days, so I don’t see that as a problem.”
Only once in the past five runnings of the Might And Power has it attracted a field of double digits, when 10 went around in 2023 while last year there was a field of four.
Winx in 2016 had just two opponents when successful.
Moody said Sheza Alibi had had the right preparation for a start at 2000m.
“She’s had a run at 1400 (metres), a run at a mile, a lovely preparation for 2000 metres,” Moody said.
“It will give her good exposure and let me know whether she can run it, like Autumn Glow in the autumn.
“Until you try them, you don’t really know and if she sees out a strong 2000 it opens up a lot more doors for us next year.
“There is the Australian Cup, the Queen Elizabeth and the Cox Plate, hopefully, as a five-year-old.”
