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Extra Group 1 bid for Mighty High

Trainer John Moore is hoping to collect an international Group One prize seven days earlier than planned when Caulfield Cup-bound stayer Mighty High contests the Yalumba Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Moore had pencilled in a single lead-up run for the reigning Hong Kong stayer of the year's campaign to the Caulfield Cup (2,400m), but when the five-year-old ran on strongly for third in a 1,700m handicap 11 days ago - and then thrived afterwards - a new schedule was formulated.

Mighty High will now contest a high-quality weight-for-age event over 2,000m, seven days out from what appeared to be his 'grand final', the A$2.5 million Caulfield feature on October 15.

Of the 17 entries for Saturday's race, seven are Group One winners and the field also includes five of the top 10 in pre-post betting for the Caulfield Cup, for which Mighty High is rated 20-1. Hong Kong-based jockey Darren Beadman will again travel to his homeland for the ride.

'We're all out to win it if we can,' said Moore, whose son George is based at Werribee with the gelding and reported that he was in top shape. 'George says the horse has done particularly well since his last run and we couldn't have him any fitter, even for this run. The idea of this run is to get some more mileage into his legs,' the trainer said.

It was confirmed yesterday that last year's Melbourne Cup winner, Americain, would bypass the Caulfield Cup in favour of the WS Cox Plate a week later, on his way to defending his crown at Flemington on November 1.

The French horse was topweight for the Caulfield Cup and weights will now be raised 2 kilograms, meaning Mighty High will carry 56.5kg. Although the weights remained the same relative to other runners, Moore said the extra impost was a slight concern because of his horse's light frame.

'Weights will wear you down, that's what they're meant to do,' he said. 'You put that sort of weight on that type of horse and you can reduce his chances greatly.'

$400,000

Prize money, in Australian dollars, for the Yalumba Stakes

- Last year's winner was So You Think, who went on to win the WS Cox Plate

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