The CF Orr Stakes is likely to be reduced to only six runners with Playing God already scratched and Sertorius in doubt because of the hot conditions expected.
The first Group One race of the year in Australia attracted eight entries including the resuming Cox Plate-winning three-year-old Shamus Award.
But six-year-old entire Playing God has suffered a tendon injury which has forced his retirement and Sertorius’ co-trainer Jamie Edwards says it is highly unlikely the Zipping Classic winner will run because he hasn’t coped well with heat in the past.
“The horse is as bright as a button but he’s quite a highly-strung horse and the heat does tend to knock him around a bit,” Edwards said.
“Two weeks ago he got knocked around badly with the heat.”
He said a veterinarian would look at Sertorius on Friday and if the gelding is at all stressed with the heat he would pull the pin on an Orr Stakes start.
“I would say it’s highly unlikely he’ll be running,” Edwards said.
Because of the expected hot conditions on Saturday the Caulfield meeting has been brought forward to start at 11am and finish at 3.20pm to avoid the hottest part of the day.
If Sertorius does not run it would rule out an Australian Cup tilt.
“Instead of heading towards the Australian Cup, we’d probably go to the Futurity, the Blamey and then the Ranvet Stakes,” Edwards said.
Plenty of interest in the 1400m weight-for-age race will be centred on the return of Shamus Award, and his jockey Craig Williams is not concerned about drawing the outside barrier.
“I’ll be disappointed if that barrier got him beat on Saturday,” Williams said.
Williams has ridden Shamus Award on the training track leading up to his return, including in two Flemington jumpouts in the past two weeks and a piece of work on Wednesday.
“From riding him three weeks ago and then comparing him to Wednesday morning you can see the horse has come on,” Williams said.
“He’s not as cheeky in the morning. He’s really switched on to being a racehorse and he’s had a really good preparation leading into Saturday.”
Moment Of Change is favourite to claim his first win since the 2012 Rupert Clarke Stakes over the same track and distance.
