Morphettville trainer Stuart Gower is hoping brilliant first-up performer Morgan Dollar can go one better than he did at the equivalent meeting last year in Saturday's BC3 Future Stars Sprint at Moonee Valley.Twelve months ago Morgan Dollar was runner-up to the then very much in-form Kaphero who made it five straight wins in the Group Three McEwen Stakes (1000m) at the Valley.This season the weight-for-age McEwen has been put back to September 12 and Saturday's $100,000 sprint, with set weights

Morphettville trainer Stuart Gower is hoping brilliant first-up performer Morgan Dollar can go one better than he did at the equivalent meeting last year in Saturday's BC3 Future Stars Sprint at Moonee Valley.

Twelve months ago Morgan Dollar was runner-up to the then very much in-form Kaphero who made it five straight wins in the Group Three McEwen Stakes (1000m) at the Valley.

This season the weight-for-age McEwen has been put back to September 12 and Saturday's $100,000 sprint, with set weights and penalties conditions, introduced.

A five-year-old by Planchet, Morgan Dollar hasn't won since taking out the Dermody Stakes (1000m) at the now defunct Cheltenham racecourse six starts back in July last year.

But he has shown his ability with efforts such as the McEwen run, a 1-1/2 length fourth to the ill-fated Sunburnt Land in the 2008 Group Two International Sprint (1200m) and a three-quarter length fourth to Swiss Ace in the 2009 Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m), both at Caulfield.

The grey has won four of his 18 starts and three of those have been when first-up.

"He's pretty good fresh and we set him for this race a while back," Gower said.

"You really only get two runs out of him. He goes super first-up.

"He's going to run on Saturday and we'll turn him out into the paddock for five or six days and hopefully back up again at the Valley in three weeks (in the McEwen).

"He thrives after each run, you wouldn't think he's gone off, but he just seems to race 100 per cent better when he's fresh."

"He's looking super and he's worked pretty good leading into this race so I'm very happy with him."

Gower's longer-term goal with Morgan Dollar is to have another crack at the Oakleigh Plate next autumn.

"His run in the Oakleigh Plate was super and hopefully next year we might be able to win it," he said.

"The right race on the right day and I'm sure he'd be hard to beat in one of those races."

Steven Arnold, who has ridden Morgan Dollar three times for two wins and a second, takes the ride on the gelding who drew barrier eight in the 11-horse field.

Kensington Stakes winner Secret Flyer opened as $2.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet on Thursday ahead of Schillaci Stakes winner Wilander at $4, Morgan Dollar ($4.80), Shrewd Rhythm ($7.50) with Uncle Ivan next best at $13.