Streets Of Avalon will be racing for a trip to Perth when he runs in a stakes race at Caulfield.
The Shane Nichols-trained galloper in entered for the Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot on December 10, but first he needs to get through the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
“He’s got to run well first, that’s the criteria, but I’ve spoken to Perth racing and they’re keen to get him there, and if there’s a plane available, we’ll be on it,” Nichols said.
Conditions should be right for Streets Of Avalon to put his best foot forward on Saturday after the gelding flopped on a heavy track when ninth in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
That performance followed a below par performance in the Group 2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in August.
“We’ve been plagued by wet tracks and we’re finally going to get a firm deck, a good draw and these sorts of races suit a horse like him,” Nichols said.
“It’s weight-for-age, the next closest to him in the ratings is six points away, yet they’re carrying equal weights.
“The only thing is, his form has only been just, but the way he worked on the Mornington course proper last Thursday, it’s probably as well as he has worked in a long time.”
Nichols said prior to the rain coming ahead of the Manikato Stakes he had expected Streets Of Avalon to perform well.
But the race was transferred from the Friday night to be run as race 11 on Cox Plate day after lightning put a halt to the Friday night meeting.
Nichols said in hindsight he possibly should not have started the gelding.
“If we had of run on the Friday night, my expectation was he would have run really well, but because we raced on the Saturday on the wet track, it was a complete waste of time,” Nichols said.
“I had to give him a run because of the Linlithgow Stakes at Flemington.
“He needed a run before that, but we ended up scratching there because of the wet track so the Manikato was a wasted run.
“But the way he is going, I’m pretty buoyed about him going into this race on Saturday.”