Comanche Gold, trained at Riverton by Graham and Michael Eade, is in the Coupland's Mile Prelude (1400m).
Jamie Bates has retained the ride.
Comanche Gold, who began racing in March, has won four of his eight starts.
El Chico has been set for the Stewards' Handicap (1200m) at Riccarton on November 9 by trainer Michael Pitman.
El Chico is due to resume racing in the Ashburton Cup (1200m) on Sunday week. He won the race fresh up last year. That was among his six wins, including the group three Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton last season.
He was spelled after failing to reproduce his best form in Queensland during the winter.
Pitman is leaving his options open with Draconic, an impressive fresh-up winner at Riccarton last Saturday. He will also contest the Ashburton Cup.
Draconic is nominated for the Coupland's Mile on November 9. The alternative is the Stewards'.
"I was viewing the Coupland's but Chris [Johnson] felt he was a big chance for the Stewards' after he rode him on Saturday," Pitman said.
Pitman plans to give Draconic his final lead up for the New Zealand Cup meeting over 1400m at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup day.
Johnson was riding the Umatilla gelding for the first time. Draconic had not raced since February.
"He was ready to race at the Grand National meeting but the tracks were not suitable. We did something different with his preparation this time, swimming him for the first four weeks."
Draconic won the listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton in January.
He has won seven of his 16 starts and been placed in another seven.
Pitman has won the Stewards' Handicap the past two years with Coup Align.
Polly Philler emulated her fourth dam, Polly Porter, when she won first up at Gore yesterday.
Polly Philler is a 5yr-old mare by Danasuria from Picka Peach, owned and trained at Winton by Greg Wright.
His late mother, Pauline, owned and trained Polly Porter, who won her first start as a 3yr-old at an Eastern Southland Hunt meeting at Gore in August, 1977.
• Polly Porter (Gate Keeper-Carron Howe) won the Southland Guineas, Inglewood Stakes at Ashburton and Show Gate Stakes at Washdyke at three and the 1979 group one Jarden Mile at Trentham.
Picka Peach, the dam of Polly Philler, is an unraced mare by Yamanin Vital from Peach Pie, by Sound Reason from Pizza Pie, by Balmerino from Polly Porter.
