Trainer Peter Moody has his sights set on a New Zealand feature race at the end of the month with consistent three-year-old Encosta Belief.Moody's racing manager Jeff O'Connor said the gelding would be on trial for the $NZ200,000 ($A160,890) Karaka 3YO Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 31 when he lines up in Wednesday's Kenvain Handicap (1400m) at Sandown."It would be good if he could go to Sandown and run well as it would give us the option of going to New Zealand with him," O'Connor said.B

Trainer Peter Moody has his sights set on a New Zealand feature race at the end of the month with consistent three-year-old Encosta Belief.

Moody's racing manager Jeff O'Connor said the gelding would be on trial for the $NZ200,000 ($A160,890) Karaka 3YO Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 31 when he lines up in Wednesday's Kenvain Handicap (1400m) at Sandown.

"It would be good if he could go to Sandown and run well as it would give us the option of going to New Zealand with him," O'Connor said.

By Encosta De Lago from Danehill mare Plaisir D'Amour, Encosta Belief is eligible for the Karaka 3YO Mile as a graduate of the 2008 Karaka Yearling Sale where he was bought for $150,000.

His only win in eight starts was on a heavy track at Wodonga in July but he has also finished second four times.

Among those to beat him were Group One winner Denman at Kilmore and dual stakes placegetter Stoneblack at Sandown.

"He has been terrific and has been very stiff a few times," O'Connor said.

He said that last start the slow tempo of a 1400-metre race worked against Encosta Belief at Flemington where he had to make his run from last when fifth to Luminous Harmony.

"He ran great sectionals but couldn't reel them in," O'Connor said.

"We would just love to see him win this and then go on with it."

Luke Nolen will again ride Encosta Belief in the seven-horse field at Sandown.

The only other winners in the race are the Mick Price-trained Eternal Sunshine and Inscribe from the Peter Snowden yard.

Inscribe won her only start at Ballarat last month.

Meanwhile, Chris Hyland will run Tolka Rock in the Betfair Handicap (1200m) instead of Saturday's Summer Race Days Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Hyland said he was hoping for a strong pace on Wednesday to give the five-year-old a chance to run on.

Tolka Rock has been freshened after a fading eighth over 1800 metres at Caulfield on December 5.

"Last run we tried him over a bit of ground and he didn't do much so we backed right off him and freshened him up," Hyland said.

Tolka Rock has raced well fresh in the past and after a 10-week let-up was placed over 1200 metres at Moonee Valley in October.