Barrier 11 has trainer Chris Waller pondering if Jokers Grin should begin his autumn in the Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick or adhere to the backup plan of going directly north to Queensland.

This former Perth flyer was last fifth across the line in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) of November and lines up for a stable debut in Saturday’s Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), the autumn carnival’s last hurrah.

Waller intends to evaluate the drawback of the outer gate before deciding, aware that the five-year-old gelding previously conquered wide positions in the prior year’s The Quokka (1200m) and Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) from Ascot.

“His draw isn’t very good, but his owners were quick to point out he has run some really good races from wide draws, and he is a ‘get-back’ horse,” Waller said.

“I’ll have a good look at the field and the race, and if we think he’s a genuine winning chance or top three chance, we’ll be running him.

“If I think he needs another two weeks based on the set up of the race, we might wait two weeks. But at this stage he’s running.”

The Sydney autumn program wasn’t the initial pathway for Jokers Grin, who was destined for Brisbane races alone.

Queensland targets persist strongly, with the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on May 16 and Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm a couple of weeks on.

“We intended to go to Queensland with him for a Group Two race in two weeks’ time, but he is come up a bit quicker than I thought, which is good,” Waller said.

“I think he can get to a race like the Doomben 10,000 and Kingsford Smith. They’re my two target races, and then hopefully he’s done enough to show he can get ready for the good ones in the spring.”

Waller noted Jokers Grin’s seamless settling in, with light handling during barrier trials.

Encouragement comes from his edge over stablemate Generosity in the Quokka where she was third, later winning Challenge Stakes (1000m) and running close fifth in Group 1 Galaxy (1100m).

“It’s good form. Even Generosity has form around him too, and she has come over and franked that form,” Waller said.

Waller’s history with WA stars features Come Play With Me taking the 2019 Metropolitan (2400m) and Arcadia Queen the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m), securing a 2019 The Everest (1200m) spot.

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