Hot Snitzel's trainer Gerald Ryan acknowledges headline horse Manawanui will be hard to beat in Saturday's Royal Sovereign Stakes but is also wary of Moment Of Change.A Peter Moody-trained stablemate of Black Caviar, Moment Of Change is less experienced than most of his rivals but has created a big impression with his two wins from two trips to the races.He also made an impression on Ryan when he beat Hot Snitzel in a Rosehill barrier trial last week, albeit by just a short head."At set weights

Hot Snitzel's trainer Gerald Ryan acknowledges headline horse Manawanui will be hard to beat in Saturday's Royal Sovereign Stakes but is also wary of Moment Of Change.

A Peter Moody-trained stablemate of Black Caviar, Moment Of Change is less experienced than most of his rivals but has created a big impression with his two wins from two trips to the races.

He also made an impression on Ryan when he beat Hot Snitzel in a Rosehill barrier trial last week, albeit by just a short head.

"At set weights Manawanui will be hard to beat but Peter Moody's horse looks one to watch," Ryan said.

"He trialled good and he beat Hot Snitzel in the trial."

At his first start, Moment Of Change won a 1200m race at Murtoa in August by 10 lengths then took his country form to town to win over 1300 metres at Sandown.

A resident at Caulfield-based Moody's satellite stable at Rosehill, Moment Of Change has been nominated for next month's Newmarket Handicap but Ryan has not aimed that high with Hot Snitzel.

"He will run in the Hobartville Stakes after Saturday and we'll assess things from there," he said.

Ryan has an affinity for the progeny of Snitzel who he trained to win the 2006 Oakleigh Plate.

While many of Hot Snitzel's rivals are using Saturday's Group Two 1200m race as the first step on a preparation to longer races including the 2400m Australian Derby in April, Ryan will not stretch the gelding past 1600m.

Manawanui's autumn is also being geared to shorter races with trainer Ron Leemon already planning ahead to the spring and the Cox Plate.

In the spring, Golden Rose winner Manawanui was extended to 2500 metres in the Victoria Derby where he finished a creditable sixth to New Zealander Sangster.

"We will keep him to 1600 metres this time and he will have a light autumn," Leemon said.

"The Cox Plate in October is the long-term aim."

Hugh Bowman will ride Hot Snitzel in the Royal Sovereign while Tommy Berry has been booked for Manawanui whose regular partner Glyn Schofield has a commitment to Hay List if he starts in the Lightning Stakes in Melbourne on Saturday.

Schofield was forced to choose when Leemon decided to stick to Plan A after entertaining the idea of running Manawanui in last Saturday's Expressway Stakes.

Among Manawanui's rivals on Saturday will be Doctor Doom and Darci Be Good who ran one-two in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and are both having their first starts since the Group One and are both being aimed at the Australian Derby.

Darci Be Good's trainer Bede Murray was forced to take the gelding to Randwick from the south coast on Tuesday morning to gallop with Kembla Grange waterlogged.

Murray and race jockey Peter Robl were both pleased with the solid 1200m workout.