The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable will keep a watch on the weather and track conditions before deciding if Philosopher will take his place at Cranbourne.
The lightly raced son of Zoustar is scheduled to have his first run back following a wind operation in the De Bortoli Wines Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday, the final event on an eight-race card.
Philosopher will be lining up for only his fourth start on Wednesday and will be tackling older horses, although Sam Freedman said the colt had a stack of ability.
A debut winner at Caulfield in January, Philosopher tackled the Blue Diamond Preview and the Blue Diamond Prelude before undergoing surgery.
Philosopher was sent around as the $1.90 favourite when finishing third behind stablemate, and eventual Blue Diamond Stakes winner, Daumier in the Preview.
“He’s come up well,” Freedman said.
“He’s a good horse and he’s very fast, but his wind was holding him back. It was probably holding him back even when he won.
“Hopefully he can put it altogether, but I don’t know where we’ll end up as a grand final for him.
“He is a real 1000, 1100-metre horse.”
With no specific plans in plans in place, Freedman said the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley could be an option if the colts form warranted a start.
“It’s a big jump and he’d need to put the runs on the board early in the prep, but ultimately that could look the right race if his form warranted it,” Freedman said.
“There are options for him, but for the three-year-olds, they have to stretch out to six (furlongs) if they’re going to get to that good level.
“Maybe now he’s had that wind op, he might be able to do that.”
To be ridden by Jamie Kah, Philosopher is the $3.70 second favourite with TAB for the 1000m dash in which Written Miss, beaten just once in four starts, is the $2.70 favourite.
