RON LEEMON says Manawanui will get his chance in the Cox Plate but it won't be this year against Darley's stallion-in-waiting Helmet.
The battling Warwick Farm trainer would love another crack at Helmet but he is not prepared to pay the late-entry fee for the Cox Plate after going down to the colt narrowly in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday.
''That was an epic clash [in the Guineas],'' Leemon said. ''It's one-all now and I'm not ready to concede that he is better than us just yet. The Cox Plate could end up another dogfight between them but I'm happy to stay against the three-year-olds for now.''
The three-year-old crop is the most impressive since the 1995-96 season, which included Cox Plate winner Octagonal but, being a gelding, Manawanui has different priorities to Darley's super colts Sepoy and Helmet, which is now a three-time group 1 winner.
''We are a racing proposition and they are looking at breeding,'' Leemon said. ''It makes sense for them to go to the Cox Plate [with Helmet] and they're in it, where we would have to find $130,000.
''When you look at that as a proportion of what our bloke has earned, it's an easy decision. We can come back to the Cox Plate next year and [meanwhile] stay against our own age in the AAMI Vase and then the [Victoria] Derby, which he is still in, if he pulls up all right. Who knows, next year Helmet and Sepoy might not be here.''
Kerrin McEvoy has started to diet to get down to 49.5 kilograms in the Cox Plate and will go there with confidence about winning a second weight-for-age group 1 at Moonee Valley after Sepoy took care of older rivals in last month's Manikato Stakes.
''The quality of the three-year-olds [crop] is incredible,'' McEvoy said. ''They just go out and run faster times than the older horses and do so in a manner that is very, very impressive. It will be back to basics for the next couple of weeks for me. I'll cut the sugar and salt out and work hard. It is worth it for him because he's got a great will to win, which we saw on Saturday.''
Peter Snowden said Helmet, the new Cox Plate favourite, is a 90 per cent chance of being at Moonee Valley. He is a different horse from the troublesome colt that won the AJC Sires' Produce and Champagne stakes as a two-year-old in Sydney.
''He was quite relaxed and there was a big crowd there on Saturday, which is a great sign because he'll handle the day at the Valley,'' McEvoy said. ''I think he just wasn't enjoying his racing in Sydney and is more comfortable with the Melbourne way of going.''
Leemon was not committed to Manawanui continuing his campaign but has pencilled in the AAMI Vase and Victoria Derby if he shows he is up to it.
''I will make a decision about whether we keep going in a couple of days, after I see how he pulls up,'' Leemon said.
''He was bright and very well this morning but that was an epic clash and I just want to make sure he is right to continue this preparation.''
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