This year Peter Moody is Australia's hottest trainer after six Group Ones and winning a first Victorian premiership with a strike rate of 22 per cent.
However, his reconnaissance trip to Sunday's Internationals was of questionable worth if he is considering bringing unbeaten mare Black Caviar for the Hong Kong Sprint next year. This was the year she had unstoppable momentum.
Saying that Black Caviar would have won, based on Ortensia's finishing position, is as useful as wishing you had Marty McFly's racebook and back-to-the-future rocket car.
Like many Australian trainers, Moody may arrive a year too late.
His reasoning behind not bringing Black Caviar is sound enough - the mare has needed cotton glove handling to get her to race regularly at home, let alone Sha Tin.
Injury concerns aside, however, Black Caviar would not have come for the 2010 race because Australian trainers have traditionally hesitated to target their 'A team' and are scared to miss an easy kill at home.