Trainer Tony McEvoy will adopt a wait and see approach before deciding if he runs his Villiers Stakes hopeful Mouro in Sydney or Brisbane this weekend.

Mouro is nominated for both the Festival Stakes at Rosehill and the Recognition Stakes aat Doomben on Saturday. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Mouro is heading towards the Group 2 $175,000 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on December 13 and McEvoy is searching for a suitable racing surface for the six year old in his lead up races.

McEvoy has nominated Mouro for both the Listed $100,000 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill and the Listed $100,000 Tattersall’s Recognition Stakes (1630m) at Doomben on Saturday.

With rain forecast for both cities, McEvoy is happy to wait until the end of the week before deciding where to go.

“I don’t want a surface that is too firm for him,” McEvoy told AAP.

“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.”

Mouro has had one run back from a spell and resumed for a creditable second to the Chris Waller trained Heart Testa in the $85,000 Cellarbrations Kingswood Park Handicap (1350m) at Rosehill on November 15.

Heart Testa is also one of the nineteen nominations for the Festival Stakes which also includes Amovatio, Hoylonny, I’m Imposing, Strawberry Boy, Multilateral and You’ll Never Know from the Waller stable.

Queensland Guineas winner Sir Moments is already in Sydney to prepare for the Villiers Stakes and is included in the entries for the Festival Stakes.

Sir Moments showed his class with a late finishing win in the Group 2 $350,000 Sky Racing Queensland Guineas (1400m) at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane Winter Carnival and the four year old was back in form with a win in the $65,000 Super Starfish Open Handicap (1400m) at the Gold Coast on November 15.

Trainer Steven O’Dea then confirmed a trip to Sydney for the Villiers Stakes and selected the Festival Stakes as a suitable lead up race.

“Classy galloper Sir Moments showed he is worthy of a taking his place in the Group 2 Villiers in Sydney next month, with an impressive win at the Gold Coast,” O’Dea confirmed on his website, stevenodearacing.com.au.

The Australian Turf Club has extended nominations for the Festival Stakes until 11am, local time, on Tuesday, November 25 while the Tattersall’s Racing Club has also extended nominations for the Recognition Stakes until 9am, local time, Tuesday, November 25 after only receiving fifteen entries.