Guillotine will wear pacifiers for the first time in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes as part of trainer David Hayes' effort to get the horse to settle better in his races with next Saturday's Caulfield Cup in mind.The half-brother to Melbourne Cup winner Efficient is backing up after running an even race for fifth to Littorio in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday."I thought his effort was full of merit the other day. He got interference in the early stages of the race and it fired

Guillotine will wear pacifiers for the first time in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes as part of trainer David Hayes' effort to get the horse to settle better in his races with next Saturday's Caulfield Cup in mind.

The half-brother to Melbourne Cup winner Efficient is backing up after running an even race for fifth to Littorio in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday.

"I thought his effort was full of merit the other day. He got interference in the early stages of the race and it fired him up a little bit," Hayes said.

"We all saw how hard he pulled and then he got held up in the straight."

Despite that the Montjeu four-year-old battled on solidly to the line in a performance that Hayes said warranted him being second favourite on Saturday behind Pompeii Ruler who finished fourth in the Turnbull.

"I thought his run was as good as any in the race and if he'd relaxed he would have exploded," he said.

"With that run under his belt, the pacifiers on and a good barrier (three) I'd expect he'll relax a lot better tomorrow.

"I'd like to think he could test Pompeii Ruler."

Hayes' back-up to the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes winner is Largo Lad who was runner-up to Jabal Tarik in a 1720m handicap at Flemington last Saturday.

"He has plenty ahead of him, not just this spring but in the autumn as well," Hayes said of Largo Lad.

"He looks like a potential Australian Cup horse. He's on trial for the Cox Plate or the Moonee Valley Cup.

"We'll make a decision on the way he races tomorrow. They are never easy but he's probably struck one of the most winnable Yalumbas I can remember."

Craig Williams, who rode both horses last week, elected to ride the grey Guillotine ahead of Largo Lad who will be ridden by Nash Rawiller.

"He's a very aggressive horse," Williams said of Guillotine.

"He's on the knife's edge of being too aggressive and that's the reason why he's actually backing up in the Yalumba on Saturday, just to try and take the edge off him for his next start which will be the Caulfield Cup."

Master trainer Bart Cummings has applied blinkers again to Australian Cup winner Sirmione for his third outing this campaign which is his final lead-up run to the Cox Plate.

He has also engaged Damien Oliver replacing Peter Mertens who has won two Group One races on the Encosta De Lago gelding.

Blake Shinn will ride stablemate, Brisbane Cup winner Viewed who has to win tomorrow to ensure a Caulfield Cup start as he is a borderline case at equal 17th in the order of entry with four other horses including Yalumba rival Douro Valley, last year's Caulfield Cup runner-up.