Australian trainer James Cummings has decided to split up two of his three-year-old colts, having scratched Paulele this morning from Saturday's Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
After accepting with both Paulele and Zethus in the Manfred and the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, Cummings was quick to scratch Zethus and send him to Melbourne, but it wasn't until Friday morning that he made up his mind on where Paulele would head.
The top betting sites clearly thought it was a no-brainer to keep Paulele at Randwick, where he is unbeaten, opening the colt as a +125 favourite in Eskimo Prince.
Paulele will be first-up on Saturday after trialling at Randwick over 900m on January 24 when running in behind Malkovich and Minhaaj.
“He'll het the opportunity to build on an already enviable Randwick record,” Cummings said in his weekly update.
“There were good horses in his trial and he was out there to take improvement from it, which he did.
“He's come right on from then.
“It was a good, solid hit-out to be ready for a solid six furlongs first-up.”
Having ended his spring campaign with a disappointing 12th in the Coolmore Stud Stakes behind Home Affairs, Paulele is likely to meet with that colt later in the autumn in a race like The Galaxy (1100m).
Zethus hasn't been seen at the races in almost 12 months after running last in the Group 2 Silver Slipper on February 20.
The son of Exceed And Excel finished second behind Remarque on debut in a 2YO Handicap before winning the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes at just his second start, defeating Home Affairs on that occasion.
Although he will be sent out as a +1400 chance, Cummings insists “he might just give them a bit of a surprise”.
“Don't forget 12 months ago he beat Home Affairs in the Canonbury,” the trainer said.
“If we have him forward enough to run a good race he might just give them a bit of a surprise.
“It's important to know where he fits in now coming into the autumn and how much improvement the might need if he's not quite up to winning fresh-up.”
Both Paulele and Zethus featured in the nominations for the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) during the week, alongside 60 other horses including Nature Strip and Masked Crusader.