Trainer Toby Edmonds will take the advice of two of Australia’s best jockeys and test Our Boy Nicholas over 2200 metres at Doomben.
Our Boy Nicholas will tackle Saturday’s Girls Day Out Handicap after two midfield finishes behind top mare Tinto in 1800m-feature races at the Gold Coast.
Melbourne’s Dwayne Dunn rode Our Boy Nicholas in the first of those races and Sydney’s Brenton Avdulla in the second.
“Both got off and told me the horse was looking for 2000 to 2400 metres at this stage of his career. They are both very experienced riders so you have to listen,” Edmonds said.
Our Boy Nicholas won the Coffs Harbour Cup over 1600m in August which is his longest winning journey.
He was second in the 2015 Magic Millions Cup (1800m) and Edmonds said he had always had it in the back of his mind to try him over a middle distance.
“There is a bit of rain about and that shouldn’t worry him,” he said.
“He has been racing like a stayer and he gets his chance here down on the minimum weight.”
Paul Hammersley, who has been riding trackwork for Edmonds, will take over as the rider of Our Boy Nicholas.
“Paul has been doing some riding for Our Boy Nicholas’s owners, Segenhoe Stud, and there are few better middle distance riders than him,” Edmonds said.
A $470,000 Magic Millions yearling, Our Boy Nicholas is from the same family as Group One winners Bentley Biscuit and Thorn Park.
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has booked premiership winning jockey Jim Byrne for the race favourite Award Season who was second to Destiny’s Kiss in the Gosford Cup on January 8.
Award Season, who did his early racing in France with Andrew Fabre, is owned by an Australian Bloodstock syndicate.
