A $200,000 Listed race at a non-metropolitan venue is not something you see every Thursday and Chris Waller has identified it as the most suitable Magic Millions lead-up for Chrysaor.
The three-year-old will round out his preparations for the $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m), which will be run on January 13, in the Gosford Guineas.
Waller said Thursday's 1200m event was a better lead-in to the Gold Coast for Chrysaor than the 1400m event he had him in at Randwick on Saturday.
"I just thought 1200 metres against his own age group would be better," Waller said.
"I was happy to wait a few more days and then travel up there.
"His work is basically done then. If I ran him Saturday, I would have had to gallop him again, so the timing is better."
The son of Better Than Ready has drawn the second-widest alley in the field of 10, which will be his first start since winning the Group 2 Callander-Presnell (1600m) at Randwick on October 28, with Tyler Schiller to ride.
"He won a Saturday race there (Gosford), he has a tricky draw, but he's a good horse so he will be hard to beat," Waller said.
The Gosford Guineas is one of two Black Type races at Gosford on Thursday, to be followed by the $300,000 Group 3 Belle Of The Turf Stakes, with Waller to be represented by Finepoint.
The daughter of Pins was down the track last start in the Group 3 Festival Stakes, but finished third in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes the start prior and Waller is keen to secure a Stakes win for the five-year-old.
"She has drawn one and she's got good formlines," Waller said.
"She missed the first part of the spring and she is joining in now.
"She's a fit horse and she is Group Two placed, so it's a perfect race for her."
Finepoint is the 59kg topweight for the 1600m event in which she will also be ridden by Schiller.
