Filly to bypass Bendigo in hunt for Group 1 glory and Nickajack Cave set to make Australian debut.
Princess Rhaenys (Iffraaj) will bypass Saturday's St Ledger Trial (2200m) at Bendigo on Saturday, with trainer Peter Moody now planning to run the daughter of Iffraaj (Zafonic) in the Vinery Stud Stakes (registered as Storm Queen Stakes) (Gr 1, 2000m) at Rosehill on April 3.
Moody is very much throwing the three-year-old into the deep end, with Princess Rhaenys having only run twice in her career, finishing fourth at Pakenham on debut in October and she was last seen breaking her maiden over 1600 metres at Ballarat in February.
This weekend Moody will saddle Nickajack Cave (Kendargent) in the NE Manion Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) at Rosehill, which will be the gelding's first start in Australia, having joined Moody's stable from Ger Lyons in Ireland.
The son of Kendargent (Kendor) landed four raced in Ireland, headlined by wins in the Saval Beg Stakes (Listed, 1m6f), in which he beat subsequent Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Twilight Payment (Teofilo), while he took out the Ballyroan Stakes (Gr 3, 1m4f) on what proved to be final start in Europe.
"It's a little bit of learning for us, two things I've been told about the horse is that he doesn't like the Sydney direction and isn't at his best on soft ground so, here's muggings taking him to Sydney to run on soft ground over a mile and a half," Moody told his podcast Moody On The Mic.
"I'm testing all theories but I'm really looking forward to seeing him go around and I think it's big odds for a horse of his calibre."
