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Trainer Angela Davies could have taken the easy option with promising galloper Our Kobison but has elected to test the waters and step the gelding up in class first-up in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
It was a decision the Gosford trainer agonised over as he did appear well placed in the Midway Handicap, over 1100m, but she said ultimately she wants to know if the horse could be carnival class so he's going into the deeper pool.
"This is our levelling day I suppose, to see where he's at,'' Angela Davies said.
"We are just going to see how he shapes up on a Saturday and if he happened to win well you'd be thinking of a little look at the autumn and seeing what sprint races are there for him."
While Davies dual accepted with Our Kobison she said the Benchmark 78 was her original thought, but that was complicated slightly by drawing barrier two in the Midway.
"You're under pressure all the time when you come to town, first-up off one trial even though I think he's probably fit enough to run the 1100m it's a hard call,'' she said.
"The smaller field in the 1000m appeals to me."
Our Kobison has won three of his five starts and moved from a Benchmark 64 win at Newcastle in July to a strong victory over 1000m at Warwick Farm four months ago in a 72.
Tommy Berry has the ride on Saturday and Davies hopes the gelding can be positioned just off the pace and allowed to pounce at the right time.
"I'd love to see him take a sit and be running third to fifth and see if he can really reel off some sectionals and be good enough to win it,'' she said.
"That's why the 1000m suits, if they do go quickly he can get back and we'll see how well he hits the line.
"He's really well, I'm tickled pink with him."
It's possible Davies could point Our Kobison toward the $150,000 Provincial-Midway Championships race at Gosford as it's the only qualifying race over 1200m and worry about whether he ran run 1400m if he finishes in the top two.
He's yet to win past 1000m but is only lightly raced and the trainer feels 1200m won't be beyond his powers.
Meanwhile, Davies said a setback to stablemate Karedada will likely see him heading to the Championships.
The four-year-old, a winner of four from six, was impressive scoring first-up at Canterbury a month ago but became ill soon after and needed treatment and a short break.
"We're probably going to head to the Provincial Midway Championships because I think he will get 1400m,'' she said.
"He's been in a paddock a fortnight and I'll bring him back next week and wind him back up for the qualifiers."
