Shanghai Warrior has pleased Pat Hyland in his comeback from injury but the trainer admits the Group winning sprinter faces a formidable opponent when he lines up at Flemington.
The five-year-old gelding has had two starts back from 15 months on the sidelines recovering from a bowed tendon.
He finished second first-up in a Flemington 1100m open handicap last month before coming in more than six lengths behind Vain Queen when third over the same course and distance last start.
Hyland concedes the 1200 metres of Saturday’s $150,000 Listed All Victorian Sprint final could still be on the short side and believes Shanghai Warrior will struggle to turn the tables on the John Sadler-trained Vain Queen.
“I don’t think he can beat her, the way she beat him the other day,” Hyland said.
“But anyway, you can’t chicken out. You’ve got to go ahead and have a crack at it.”
Hyland expects Shanghai Warrior, the winner of the 2012 Group Three Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington, to be at his best in the spring.
“I think he has done very well. He ran second in his first run and ran third in his next run and they haven’t been weak races,” Hyland said.
“I think his future is in the spring. That will be his big time when he can get to distances that will suit him.
“He’s a Group winner and he’s a pretty nice animal.”
Vain Queen, a dominant 3-3/4 length last-start winner, is among 12 nominations for the race as she chases a first stakes win.
Other nominations include Ready To Rip, Le Bonsir and the in-form Pillar Of Creation.
Nominations have been extended until Tuesday.
The race is one of four Listed events on `Finals Day’ along with the Winter Championship Final (1600m), the A R Creswick Series Final (1200m) for three-year-olds and the Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) for two-year-olds.
Hyland said he would probably prefer Saturday’s race to be 1400m for Shanghai Warrior.
“It may be OK for him, but the last run he had he showed that he was probably looking for a little further than 1200,” he said.
Shanghai Warrior has won five of his 16 starts and more than $250,000 prize money.
