If Way To The Stars can strike it right at Caulfield on Saturday, an Group 1 Oakleigh Plate start could be on the agenda a month later.
Finding the right race for the seven-year-old is not an easy task for Matthew Smith and the Warwick Farm-based trainer is hoping that the gelding handles the course well enough in the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes over 1000-metres.
Way To The Stars could also have started in the Listed Goldmarket (1100m) at Gold Coast on Friday night but Caulfield was the chosen event starting from barrier three.
“We have taken the harder option but the draw at the Gold Coast and with the speed in the race I could see him caught wide,” Smith said.
“So we have chosen to take the race with the better barrier.”
A winner at Flemington of the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival in 2024, the run prior saw him finishing six lengths off the winner in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1100m) at his only Caulfield start with pace and barrier not working in the gelding’s favour.
His latest outing delivered a second placing in the Listed Bribie Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm where Way To The Stars notched a Racing and Sports rating of 114 which puts his well in contention against the opposition this time.
“There isn’t an easy sequence of races for him at this time of year but I thought the Brisbane race was perfect first-up,” Smith said.
“But if he can get around Caulfield then there are other options further into the carnival like the Oakleigh Plate.
“Beast Mode has speed and if he can sit off them, he may be a chance.”
Way To The Stars is rated a $7 chance while race favourite Beast Mode is at $3.10.
“This will give us an idea where he’s up to against some decent horses,” Smith concluded.
“He has to step up but if you’ve to have a plan and put things in place.”
