Tony McEvoy’s search for the perfect surface for Mouro means the horse could head north while most of his Villiers opponents have their lead-up in Sydney.
The trainer will monitor the weather in both Sydney and Brisbane during the week with Mouro to be entered in Saturday’s Recognition Stakes (1600m) at Doomben as well as the Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
“I don’t want a surface that is too firm for him,” McEvoy said.
“They are predicting rain in Brisbane and some in Sydney during the week.
“He doesn’t want wet ground but I don’t want to run him on hard ground.”
The former French horse has won three stakes races in Australia but was found to have a joint injury after the Hawkesbury Cup in May which required surgery, forcing him out of most of the spring.
He showed he had fully recovered with a first-up second under 60kg in a 1350m race at Rosehill earlier this month with the winner Heart Testa also likely to head to the Group Two Villiers (1600m) on December 13.
While Mouro might race in Brisbane, Sir Moments has come the other way and is safely in Sydney to launch his bid in the Festival.
The winner of the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1400m) and Listed Daybreak Lover (1600m) during the Brisbane winter carnival, the Steven O’Dea-trained Sir Moments has had two starts this month in his build-up.
He finished third over 1350m at Doomben before carrying 59kg to victory over 1400m at the Gold Coast.
While Mouro was missing from McEvoy’s spring team, he did have success with two other imported horses – Big Memory and Le Roi.
Big Memory won the Group Two Herbert Power in which subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist was fourth while Le Roi claimed the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Much to the trainer’s dismay, Big Memory missed a start in the Melbourne Cup as 25th in the order for the 24-horse field and went to the Queen Elizabeth as an afterthought, finishing third.
McEvoy plans to give Big Memory a long spell to concentrate on next year’s spring staying features but Le Roi will be back for the autumn with the Australian Cup and BMW on his agenda.
