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Having found out a Melbourne Cup start was unlikely, trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young went about a change of routine for Skyward in a bid to target the $2 million Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
Purchased as a Melbourne Cup contender, Skyward needed to win the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21 and earn a penalty to push his way up the entry order towards a start in the Melbourne Cup.
Left lamenting in the mid 30's in the Order of Entry a week out from the Cup, Busuttin and Young made the decision to target another race with Skyward, but at the same time paid up for the stayer as a Melbourne Cup acceptor.
Races to consider were to chase the $2 million prize on offer in the Mackinnon (2000m) or go after the $200,000 Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) which also carries a bonus if the winner was a Melbourne Cup ballot.
In the end the lure of a bigger prize money payout won for Skyward.
Busuttin and Young were left disappointed with Skyward's performance at Geelong after the entire exited quarantine at Werribee five days before the race.
"He had that change of environment from quarantine to our stable and I think that may have put him off kilter a little bit going into the Geelong Cup," Young said.
"His blood is back perfect now, his work has been really nice and sharp and I think you'll see the real Skyward on Saturday."
Young explained Skyward's blood was not quite right post the Geelong Cup but the stallion was now bouncing around.
"He's given a hand walk in the afternoon and he's on two legs," Young said.
"He's really lovely and bright and we didn't quite see that going into the Geelong Cup, compared to what we're seeing now and back to the 2000 (metres), he's nice and fresh for it."
Glen Boss rides Skyward on Saturday after making a trip to Cranbourne last week to partner the five-year-old in a gallop.
Busuttin and Young also saddle Mirage Dancer in the Mackinnon after the entire finished second last in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17.
While possibly better served over 2400m, Young is not discounting Mirage Dancer, especially getting back onto a firmer surface.
Mirage Dancer struck interference at Caulfield which contributed to his finishing position.
"He got put out of business, but he wasn't really happy on those wet conditions either," Young said.
"I think he's better on top of the ground and I think the conditions will be ideal on Saturday.
"It's a little bit of an awkward gate, but there is a good run from the 2000 metres to the first corner so we'll let Mick Dee decide what he wants to do.
"He's nice and bright also. There's not much between them and I think both get their chance."
Both are outsiders in Saturday's weight-for-age race with Skyward a $31 chance ahead of Mirage Dancer at $34.
Unlucky Group 1 Cox Plate contender Acadia Queen heads the market at $3.10 with last year's runner-up Melody Belle second pick at $4.60 ahead of Mugatoo at $5.
