A change of heart by trainer Cranbourne Robbie Laing will see three year old Polanski run in the Group 2 $220,000 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Victoria Derby winner Polanski to resume in the Autumn Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Laing had hinted early in the week that the Victoria Derby winner would kick off his Autumn Carnival campaign in the weight for age Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) on the same program.

But a late decision will see Polanski step out against his own age first up as he heads towards the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1.

Polanski has drawn the outside of the ten horse field with Dean Yendall back in the saddle, deputising for Hugh Bowman who will be riding at Randwick on Saturday.

Polanski won the Listed $120,000 UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on October 5 with Yendall on board but the Robbie Laing trained three year old then went on to win the Group 3 $150,000 Jacob Park Thoroughbreds Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 19 with Bowman in the saddle.

Bowman then went on to win the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2 on the Rakti colt and is expected to have the mount in the Australian Guineas.

“Hugh Bowman won’t be in Melbourne this week so Dean Yendall has the ride,” Laing told Racing Network.

“He’s done nothing wrong on him in the past so we’ve got no issue with putting Dean back on.,”

“When Bowman is in Melbourne he’ll ride the horse.”

Thunder Fantasy from the Anthony Cummings stable looks the best credentialed of the remainder of the field and is also having his first start since running third to Polanski in the Victoria Derby.

Mark Zahra will be having hi first ride on the three year old who will jump from gate three.

Laing’s decision to run Polanski in the Autumn Stakes has left the C.F. Orr Stakes with only eight runners which includes Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, multiple Group 1 winner Foreteller and Queensland Derby winner Hawkspur from the powerful Chris Waller stable, Peter Moody’s Group 1 winner Moment Of Change and the Group 2 three year old winner Eurozone from the Bart and James Cummings camp.