Randwick winner Sacramento will be given a light autumn with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott taking a longer-term view with the promising young stayer.
Bott said they were focused on taking the VRC St Leger winner through his grades this preparation before ramping up expectations in the spring.
The four-year-old backed up a last-start win at Randwick with a bold frontrunning display in the Heineken Handicap (2000m) on Saturday when he had his rivals off the bit and chasing before the home turn.
“I don’t know how far we will test him and throw him in the deep end this campaign because we want to set him up for the spring,” Bott said.
“He is a talented stayer. It’s all about building confidence with him, building strength. He is still learning to stay and still improving.”
The Tulloch Lodge galloper finished fifth in the Australian Derby 12 months ago before taking out the St Leger in Melbourne.
He missed the spring but has won two of his three starts this preparation.
Bott said the stable would look to one or two of the early staying races during the Sydney carnival to further blood Sacramento for the future.
“We were fortunate enough with the St Leger that we got enough ratings points to manoeuvre a bit this campaign so he wasn’t weighted out of these types of grades,” Bott said.
“We might look to freshen him up into some of those early staying races that kick off into the carnival, races like the Parramatta Cup.”
Rated superbly by Sam Clipperton, Sacramento started a $3.60 favourite and scored by 2-1/4 lengths over New Arrangement ($4) with Kiss The Bride ($6.50) grabbing third.
