A race in Adelaide on Saturday or one at Kyneton on Monday were two options for Melody Cunningham to test out whether One Long Day can maintain his perfect record.
On the instructions of an owner who has already made some big decisions about the now four-year-old gelding, Morphettville Parks on Saturday it is and after rejecting significant offers for the son of two-time group one winner Epaulette, the preparation gets underway in the Sportsbet Handicap over 1250-metres.
One Long Day debuted as a winner on the Ballarat Synthetic surface over 1100m on July 9 and then followed up with victory at Geelong on a rain affected track over 1147m later that month.
Ridden by Ryan Hurdle at his first two starts, Hurdle said that it would be this preparation where we would see the best of the horse and that is just what Cunningham is hoping, too.
“He’s had three trials going into the run on Saturday,” Cunningham said.
“They’ve all been good and with him getting a little older now we’re choosing to start him over the 1250m.
“We could have gone to Dunkeld or Kyneton but even though there are a couple of good chances in the race, the owner wanted him to go over to Adelaide so that is where he is going.”
One Long Day will be out deliver another good set of results for the small stable after it achieved two wins and a third placing at Geelong last Saturday.
One Long Day is at $5.50 for his first-up outing while the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Great Maximum – second-up – is the $2.70 favourite.