Dual Group One winner Terravista will be a surprise entry at Scone as a back-up plan in case connections opt not to go to Brisbane.
Trainer Joe Pride has been preparing Terravista for the Group One Doomben 10,000 on Saturday but will nominate him for the Ortensia Stakes at Scone.
“He will be a surprise nomination for the 1100 metre sprint at Scone,” Pride said.
“It has a top weight of 61 kilos so he can’t get any more than that so it’s an option.
“I was pretty pleased with his barrier trial on Friday and he seems really well so he will be fit wherever we go.”
Terravista worked home for a close third in a 795m-trial at Warwick Farm on Friday under little pressure from Brenton Avdulla.
Pride abbreviated Terravista’s autumn campaign to freshen him up for the Doomben 10,000 not thinking he would have to take on Redzel.
“I was surprised to see Redzel going there,” he said.
“I thought he would be in the paddock for a spell before getting ready for the Everest again.
“Terravista is obviously winding down as an eight-year-old and I thought the Doomben 10,000 would be a lot easier than it looks like being.”
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Redzel, who beat Terravista in the Darley Classic at Flemington in November, also trialled last week.
He was hard-held to finish second to English over 1050m on a heavy track at Randwick.
Redzel claimed his first Group One win in the 2017 Doomben 10,000 and went on to win the inaugural $10 million Everest in October.
He is the TAB’s $2 favourite to defend the Doomben 10,000 ahead of In Her Time at $4.
In Her Time, who has already secured the TAB’s slot for this year’s Everest which carries prize money of $13 million, had a gallop between races at Newcastle on Saturday.
English is a $15 chance in the 10,000 with Terravista at $51.
