Exhilarates in Moir dilemma

James Cummings is considering adding a handy third-stringer to his Moir Stakes assault with a decision pending on whether super filly Exhilarates chases Friday night’s $1 million Group 1.

Cummings was at The Valley on Monday morning to supervise gallops from his confirmed Moir pair in Virdine and the Stradbroke Handicap winner Trekking as well as from the Magic Millions winner Exhilarates, who will be entered in two races in the season’s opening night racing meeting.

The Godolphin trainer said the obvious option was the set weights G3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) for fillies but he said there was a temptation to run Exhilarates at weight-for-age and he confirmed he had also sounded out a potential rider.

"We’ll have a talk about that," Cummings said of the option.

"She’ll be in receipt of a weight-for-age allowance in the Moir but she’s only a filly and we are no certainty to be running there especially with a set weights option there in the Scarborough.

"She’s been one of the best fillies in the early stages of the spring and there’s got to be something to be said for keeping her in the company she can keeping winning again and keep her confidence high."

WATCH: Exhilarates win Atlantic Jewel Stakes

Stradbroke Handicap winner Trekking goes into the Moir first-up from his Group 1 triumph in June and Cummings has long had the Moir in mind for him fresh.

"Trekking was beautifully," Cummings said of his work at The Valley.

"He’s had a really good preliminary coming up to the Moir on Friday night. It will be interesting to see how he goes over 1000 metres fresh.

"He’s going to be up against some talented five furlong (1000m) horses that are going to pouring on plenty of pressure and making sure they get most out the five furlong opportunity they get Friday night because there’s a good handful of them there that are not capable of getting a strong six (furlongs).

"So they need to make the most of it. He’ll be smoking in behind them and hopefully, he’s within striking distance to be joining in and be competitive.

"His win in the Stradbroke was excellent, but we just gave him the right amount of time. We like the idea of running him in the Moir to give him another sight-seeing in the Moir because realistically he could be in the Manikato in another month.

"The truth is that he’s had a good break and I think he’s still got his tail in the air from that impressive win in the Stradbroke and I’d like to see him win fresh-up but the five furlongs will definitely be a challenge for him."

Viridine also goes into the Moir fresh from an unplaced Stradbroke run and Cummings expects him to show something first-up.

"He went beautifully over 1000 metres first-up for James McDonald in the autumn (third in Challenge Stakes)," he said.

"He was jumping out of the ground late and who knows if he was a bit more screwed down, he might have got there."