The make-up of the final field and barrier draw will determine whether Bons Away takes his place in Melbourne’s final Group One race of the season.
Trainer Aaron Purcell’s intention is to run him in Friday night’s William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley but Bons Away is also among nominations for the Hareeba Stakes at Mornington on Saturday.
“The plan is running on Friday night but we’ll have to have a look when the final field comes out,” Purcell said.
“We’ll be able to see who has accepted for the William Reid before the Hareeba closes.
“If it looks like it might be a bit lopsided we might accept for both, but at this stage we’ll just be accepting for the William Reid.”
Having had only 12 starts, registering five wins, Bons Away progressed from a country performer to stakes winner last campaign when he lowered the colours of Brave Smash in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes in September.
Bons Away kicked off his autumn campaign with a fifth behind Russian Revolution in last month’s Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.
Purcell said Bons Away had trimmed down following that first-up run and was taken to Moonee Valley on Monday for his first look at the track.
“Dave Eustace took him out there and said he went super,” Purcell said.
“He’s usually a pretty good track worker and I think it was as good as ever.
“The Valley can be tricky and some horses don’t go well there so having a spin around the track is certainly no disadvantage at all.
“He’s trained on well and looks a million bucks and there’s no reason why he wouldn’t run well on Friday.”
Purcell said stablemate Schism would run first-up in the Hareeba Stakes on Saturday.
The mare is trained at Warrnambool and Purcell says she has performed solidly in a couple of jump-outs ahead of her return.
“She doesn’t like the city life so she’ll go to Mornington and back in the day,” Purcell said.
“She’s going well but will have to run up to her best to be in the finish.”
