Peter Moody's decision to back up weight-for-age sprinter Wanted will give him four three-year-old runners in the Group One Oakleigh Plate.Moody's racing manager Jeff O'Connor said Tickets, as well as fillies Avenue and Headway, were all set to clash with Wanted on Saturday in what promises to be a devilish hot sprint.O'Connor said it was impossible to split the quartet in such an even race which also features the likely return of champion Weekend Hussler."It's an Oakleigh Plate and it is always
Peter Moody's decision to back up weight-for-age sprinter Wanted will give him four three-year-old runners in the Group One Oakleigh Plate.
Moody's racing manager Jeff O'Connor said Tickets, as well as fillies Avenue and Headway, were all set to clash with Wanted on Saturday in what promises to be a devilish hot sprint.
O'Connor said it was impossible to split the quartet in such an even race which also features the likely return of champion Weekend Hussler.
"It's an Oakleigh Plate and it is always a great race," O'Connor said.
Moody is looking to end a frustrating run in the Oakleigh Plate after three placings in the past five years.
Segments was a $101 chance when beaten a long neck by Fastnet Rock in (2005) while Magnus was third to Undue in 2007 and second to Weekend Hussler in 2008.
O'Connor said a decision would be made after trackwork on Tuesday whether Tickets, who is first up since the spring, would have a gear change for Saturday.
"Tickets is the smokey," O'Connor said.
Stathi Katisidis will ride the colt and O'Connor said the plan would be to get cover and produce him for a late run at the leaders.'
Last start he was beaten a length when fourth to Headway in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington last spring.
O'Connor said Luke Nolen's mount Wanted, was backing up partly because the Oakleigh Plate was a Group One race and it was a handicap compared to the weight-for-age races he has been contesting.
He was narrowly beaten first-up in last month's Lightning Stakes and was second to Turffontein in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
"It would have been a lot easier had he won on Saturday as we might not have run him this week knowing he had won the Group One," O'Connor said.
"He is a tough horse on his home track this time and he is back to handicap conditions which might help him."
Craig Newitt will ride Headway who finished fifth in the Lightning.
"We were happy enough with her first-up run and she does improve with racing," O'Connor said.
He said Headway was only a small filly, no more than 15 hands, but was courageous.
"She is a really good doer and she will get fitter and stronger as she heads to the Newmarket Handicap next month," O'Connor said.
Avenue, who will be ridden by Craig Williams, was a first up fifth to Here De Angels in the Group Three Rubiton Stakes and O'Connor said she would be better for the run which he compared favourably to her only other defeat when second to Irish Lights at Flemington last autumn.
"She is a horse who can overdo things when fresh but we have got that run out of the way and now she just wants galloping room," O'Connor said.
"She is probably going to be close to the lead whereas Headway will be midfield or worse, Wanted just behind them and Tickets covered up for a late run."