Despite a wide barrier, Henry Dwyer will stay with the program and run Different Gravy at Caulfield.
Different Gravy has drawn barrier 16 in the VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m) on Saturday and will come in one gate if the emergency Merimbula does not gain a start.
“He needs to start somewhere and that’s been his long-term starting point, so I don’t want to change a preparation just because of a bad barrier,” Dwyer said.
Different Gravy is being set on a path to the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm at the end of May.
Dwyer is planning a four-run campaign for Different Gravy, culminating in the Derby, a race he won with Sonntag in 2014, and then a winter spell in the Queensland warmth before returning for, hopefully, a Melbourne spring campaign.
Following Saturday’s kick-off, Different Gravy is to head to Sydney for the Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick and then on to Brisbane for the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben.
“We didn’t accept in the Australian Derby, we took him out on Tuesday, just because it was all coming around a bit soon,” Dwyer said.
“The mile now, then 2000 (metres) in a month’s time and a lead-up run into the Derby sounds about right.”
A son of Ghaiyyath, who sired Victoria Derby and Australian Guineas winner Observer, Different Gravy surprised Dwyer to some degree with his transformation last campaign.
Different Gravy went from winning a 1600m maiden at Swan Hill to winning a Listed 1800m race during Melbourne Cup week to taking out the inaugural Melbourne Classic (2000m) at Caulfield to wind up his campaign.
“We thought he would improve over ground, but we didn’t know how much he would improve,” Dwyer said.
“It was a fair bit, and I think he’s going to improve again this time.
“We got him out to 2000 metres last prep, and I think he will eat up the 2400 metres as well this time around.
“Hopefully a winter up there and then we can think about the spring down here and see how he measures up.”
