With the brilliant Lankan Rupee certain to be an imposing presence this spring, some rival trainers are mapping out a strategy to avoid the highest-rated sprinter in the world.
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However, not all trainers with sprinters are ducking for cover, with Anthony Cummings remaining philosophical about the appearance of Lankan Rupee.
Six months ago Cummings took on the training of Villa Verde from Bendigo trainer Shaun Dwyer after the mare appeared to thrive when stabled in Sydney. The one-time Golden Slipper favourite rewarded connections with a first-up win under the care of Cummings in the Challenge Stakes last autumn.
"She's a very nice mare. She showed that she is appreciating being trained out of Sydney, but she'll have this start in Melbourne and then be on a float back to Sydney," Cummings said.
Cummings is confident Villa Verde will be hard to toss in Saturday's $120,000 Carlyon Stakes but is understandably respectful of another Sydney sprinter in Kencella, the race favourite.
"He's very quick, very speedy and is likely to be in front of us for a good part of the race, but she'll be finishing off well," he said.
Cummings further underlined that Villa Verde had a number of spring options, but he wouldn't be concerned coming up against the all-conquering Lankan Rupee.
"First of all, Lankan Rupee's got to come up. Then he's got to be back to his best and in races like the Darley Classic, it's worth a million dollars, so it's a very nice cheque, even if you run second," he said.
Villa Verde and Kencella add a new dimension to Saturday's Carlyon Stakes with local mare Shamal Wind also likely to be hard to beat.
The difficulty for punters wagering on the Carlyon Stakes is that more than half the field haven't raced since the autumn.
And co-trainer Michael Hawkes remains firm in his conviction not to run Warwick Stakes favourite Messene if the Randwick track doesn't improve before Saturday's important meeting.
Messene and the Godolphin poster filly Earthquake are expected to be two high-profile withdrawals if overnight rain keeps Randwick in the heavy range.
"At the end of the day, if it's a heavy track, a lot of our horses won't run and that includes Messene," Hawkes said.
Messene has kept his place at the top of Warwick Stakes betting with Boban and Laser Hawk early scratchings because of wet ground concerns.
Randwick figured in a minor upgrade on Friday morning but forecast showers are threatening hopes for the meeting to be run on a surface in the slow range.
Similarly, Godolphin insists it will take no chance with Blue Diamond Stakes winner Earthquake, favourite to resume in winning form in the Silver Shadow Stakes.
