The Flemington appearance will determine if Different Gravy proceeds with Queensland Derby plans.
Henry Dwyer, trainer of Different Gravy, set his goals on the northern Derby post the horse’s Listed score at 1800m on Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Day last season.
Dwyer devised a distinct strategy initially for reaching the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 30, steering clear of Saturday’s Trevor Clarke Handicap (2000m) at Flemington.
Different Gravy had been earmarked for the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben Saturday after Sydney, until a flat first-up performance over 1600m at Caulfield in March intervened.
“Admittedly we knew he was underdone but I thought he would go better at Caulfield,” Dwyer said.
“I didn’t want to send him up to Sydney off the back of that as I needed him to do something, so Adelaide was an easier option.
“He improved somewhat but still wasn’t as good as he can be, so we’ve left him down here to give ourselves another chance before we pull the trigger and send him to Queensland.
“He needs to improve again, which I think he can and I think he will, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him this prep.”
Since his fourth in the Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) at Morphettville on April 11, Different Gravy has won a blinkered trial at Caulfield Heath, gear he’ll keep for Saturday.
Returning to Flemington for the 2000m suits Different Gravy ideally, Dwyer feels, with a good result sufficient to launch the Queensland campaign.
“I want to see him back at Flemington, a nice big track,” Dwyer said.
“A wide barrier is not a bad thing for him as it will give him a bit of space and room to move, so that will give him every chance.
“He’s carrying 7-½ kilos more than Matt Cumani’s horse (Brave Danza) that was on level weights when he beat him at Flemington in the spring.
“It’s always a challenge going through benchmark races against progressive horses that have a lot less weight than you.
“He doesn’t necessarily have to win, and I’m not saying he can’t, but as long as he finished in the top three or four, I would be confident enough that that would be a good enough run to go to Queensland.”
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