Gerald Ryan will study the field and barrier draw for Saturday’s Group One Patinack Farm Classic before deciding if filly Snitzerland will take her place at Flemington.
The Golden Slipper runner-up was beaten for the first time this preparation when fifth to Nechita in the Coolmore Stud Stakes last weekend.
Ryan said he would decide on Friday whether Snitzerland would back up against the older horses in what is the feature sprint race of the spring.
“I’ll just go through the field and see where they’re all drawn, do the speed and just sum it up,” Ryan said.
“As far as the filly herself goes, I’ve got no worries about her going there. She’s good as gold.”
If Snitzerland does run, both she and her trainer will be heading into uncharted waters.
The Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) will be the three-year-old’s first test against older horses.
And while Ryan won the Group One TJ Smith and Winter Stakes with Melito during her three-year-old season in 2010, he has never pitted a filly against older, seasoned sprinters in the spring.
“Never done it this time of year, not in good races,” Ryan said.
“But it’s the only time she’s going to carry 51.5 kilos in a weight-for-age race. She will never carry that again.
“Melito won two Group Ones against the older horses but that was as an autumn three-year-old, not in the spring.”
Snitzerland was an easing favourite in the Coolmore Stud Stakes following four consecutive victories, three of them in Melbourne.
Ryan said he was satisfied with her effort and recovery.
“I was happy with the way she went in the Coolmore,” he said.
“There were some fresh horses on the scene. All the horses she’d been beating she beat and she was the only on-pace runner who stayed there.
“She came out of it terrific.”
A field of 15 was paid up on Wednesday for the Patinack Farm, headed by brilliant mare Sea Siren who scored a comprehensive first-up victory in the Manikato Stakes.
She is the early TAB favourite at $3.70, ahead of Manikato runner-up Mental ($6).
Buffering, second to Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm 12 months ago, shares the second line of betting after turning in a sub par run when sixth in the Manikato.
Howmuchdoyouloveme is an $11 chance to bounce back from his disappointing unplaced effort in the Yellowglen Stakes on Saturday when he was allowed to run despite an inquiry into whether he had received treatment on race day.
That inquiry was adjourned.
