Trainer John Bary is planning to start Jimmy Choux next in the $A3 million W S Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 22.
Jimmy Choux won the group one $200,000 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) stylishly at Hastings on Saturday.
The Cox Plate is over 2040m at Moonee Valley on October 22.
"He will probably go straight into the Cox Plate," the Hastings-based Bary said.
He said he would aim to fly Jimmy Choux to Melbourne from Auckland on October 1 or 2.
"Travelling from Hastings to Australia is the equivalent of a race. I like to give a horse an easy week when I get there and find this gives them the best chance to combat any health problems."
Bary said he would top off Jimmy Choux with some searching gallops. The approach has worked. Jimmy Choux won the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in March after success in the New Zealand Derby (2400m) at his previous start.
Jimmy Choux is now favourite at $7 with some Australian bookmakers for the Cox Plate. Whobegotyou is a favourite with other bookmakers.
Sunline is the last New Zealand-trained winner of the Cox Plate. She was successful in 1999 and 2000. She did her lead-up racing in Australia in both those years.
Imani, Hold It Harvey and The Big Ginga, members of the Terri Rae stable who performed well at Hastings on Saturday, have remained at Otaki for the final day of the Hawke's Bay spring meeting on October 1.
The Rae-trained Go Go Dingo is also at Otaki and he will race there on Friday. He will be ridden by Jason Waddell, who rode Imani to win the $40,000 open 1200m on Saturday. He replaced Daniel Stackhouse, who had a weight problem.
Hold It Harvey ran third in the Windsor Park Plate and The Big Ginga finished a close second in the 1400m race for 3yr-olds. Jamie Bullard will take the mounts on October 1 if they are within his weight capability.
Don't Say Clang won the $18,000 open 1600m race at Riccarton on Saturday for the Rae stable.
Trainer Jon Sargent had successive wins in the Canterbury Belle Stakes when Kasumi was successful on Saturday. Sargent won the race last year with Princess Emmy.
• Lion Tamer became the first NZ-trained horse to win the $352,000 Underwood Stakes since Bonecrusher.
Lion Tamer, winner of the weight-for-age 1800m race at Caulfield on Saturday, is trained at Cambridge by Murray Baker for Tauranga owner-breeder Phil Bayly. The same connections have Harris Tweed who finished well back in the Naturalism Stakes on Saturday.
The Frank Ritchie-trained Bonecrusher won the Underwood in 1986 and he was successful in the Caulfield Stakes and Cox Plate at his next two starts.
The Phantom, who was prepared by Baker for his early racing, won the Underwood in 1990 when trained by Bill Mitchell. The Phantom ran second to Kingston Rule in the Melbourne Cup that year.
Jeune won the Underwood-Melbourne Cup double in 1994.
Baker was back at Pukekohe yesterday to saddle Mr Tipsy for his win the $45,000 Westbury Handicap (1600m). Mr Tipsy had not raced since April. His form slumped after he won the Marton Cup in January.
