Sheza Alibi is set to compete over 2000 metres for the first time when she contests the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield.
This decision will allow trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman a three-week window to prepare Sheza Alibi for the Group 1 Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on October 31.
Moody stated that Sheza Alibi has performed exceptionally well since her strong victory in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12, suggesting that another race is necessary before the Golden Eagle.
The trainer’s reasoning for avoiding the Toorak Handicap, which falls on the same day as the Might And Power, was the likelihood of Sheza Alibi carrying a prohibitive weight.
From a long-term perspective, Moody believes that running her at 2000 metres now will create more opportunities in the following season.
“I think she gets too much weight in the Toorak and the weight-for-age race I think will suit her better,” Moody said.
“There might be 10 or 12 runners, rather than 16 in a Toorak with 57 (kg) or 58 on her back.
“It’s 2000 metres and then she’ll go three weeks back to the 1500 metres of the Golden Eagle.
“It gives her good exposure for the future and experience at 2000 metres.
“She’s done that well in seven days. I think it makes life easy and I don’t have to train her.
“I think if you look at history over a long time, a lot of nice horses have won over a mile-and-a-quarter and then come back to that mile mark in 21 days, so I don’t see that as a problem.”
In the past five iterations of the Might And Power Stakes, only one has featured a field of ten or more runners, with 2023 seeing 10 horses compete, while the previous year had just four starters.
It is worth noting that in 2016, Winx recorded her victory against only two other rivals.
Moody confirmed that Sheza Alibi has received the appropriate preparation for a 2000m start.
“She’s had a run at 1400 (metres), a run at a mile, a lovely preparation for 2000 metres,” Moody commented.
“It will give her good exposure and let me know whether she can run it, like Autumn Glow in the autumn.
“Until you try them, you don’t really know and if she sees out a strong 2000 it opens up a lot more doors for us next year.
“There is the Australian Cup, the Queen Elizabeth and the Cox Plate, hopefully, as a five-year-old.”
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