Victoria Derby winner Polanski could be a surprise runner in the Group 1 $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Polanski could be surprise runner in G1 Futurity Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Polanski is one of eleven horses nominated for the Group 1 weight for age race with the Melbourne Racing Club extending nominations until 10AM on Tuesday.
Trainer Robbie Laing is trying desperately to have Polanski right for the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday week but his Autumn program has been thrown into chaos because a of skin disorder.
Laing has been forced to scratch Polanskl the last two Saturday’s from the Group 2 $220,000 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and the Group 3 $150,000 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington and is tossing up if he should run the three year this week or go into the Australian Guineas first up the following week.
The Cranbourne trainer said that he would wait until after trackwork Tuesday morning to make a decision if Polanski runs this week.
“I’ll wait and see how he works tomorrow morning, before we make a decision,” Laing told TVN.
“I’d hate to flatten him first-up this week then have him mope around all week in the stable before the Guineas.
“His work will tell me if he’s ready to go into the Guineas first-up, or whether we need to run him this week and back him up.”
Polanski, who hasn’t raced since winning the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2, has also been nominated for the Group 3 $135,000 Zedative Stakes (1200m) for the three year olds which would be a softer option.
The Peter Moody trained Moment Of Change will be tackling his favourite course and distance in the Futurity Stakes and is looking for back to back Group 1 victories after winning the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday week.
Three of Moment Of Change’s six wins have been over the Caulfield 1400m course and include two Group 1s and as well as the C.F. Orr Stakes, the Barely A Moment gelding won the $400,000 Clamms Seafood Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) in the Spring of 2012.
Moody has also nominated French import Ladari who hasn’t raced since finishing third to Fiorente in the Group 2 $300,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 14 last Spring.
Three year old Eurozone will be trying to turn the tables on Moment Of Change after failing by a nose to run him down when second in the C.F. Orr Stakes if co-trainer James Cummings decides to take on weight for age horses again this week.
Cummings is also undecided if he will run Eruozone this week or wait for the Australian Guineas the following week.
“We haven’t decided if we are going to run in the Futurity and then back-up in the Guineas,” Cummings said.
And Gai Waterhouse has nominated last start Group 3 $135,000 John Moule Manfred Stakes (1200m) winner Bull Point who is currently the $6.50 equal favourite with Hucklebuck for the Australian Guineas.
