Stablemates Rags To Riches and Pepperwood will be under the spotlight for a possible trip to Sydney for next month's Villiers Stakes when they clash at Eagle Farm on Saturday.The pair will meet in the Listed Recognition Stakes (1600m) with Shane Scriven booked to partner topweight Rags To Riches while Glen Colless will be aboard Pepperwood.The Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) will be run at Randwick on December 19.Rags To Riches went down in a close finish when third to Something Anything in la

Stablemates Rags To Riches and Pepperwood will be under the spotlight for a possible trip to Sydney for next month's Villiers Stakes when they clash at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The pair will meet in the Listed Recognition Stakes (1600m) with Shane Scriven booked to partner topweight Rags To Riches while Glen Colless will be aboard Pepperwood.

The Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) will be run at Randwick on December 19.

Rags To Riches went down in a close finish when third to Something Anything in last year's Villiers Stakes before returning home to finish second to Pepperwood in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1630m) at Doomben a week later.

Trainer Liam Birchley is considering a similar summer campaign with Rags To Riches and may also send Pepperwood down for the Villiers.

"Pepperwood won the Bernborough last year but there's a chance he might go down for the Villiers this time," Birchley said.

"I'm looking at the Villiers again with Rags To Riches but it'll depend on the weather with him.

"He (Rags To Riches) loves the wet and if it's raining in Sydney around Villiers time then he might go down."

Rags To Riches, who ran third on a heavy track in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at Caloundra in June, beat only one runner home when he made his comeback over 1350 metres at Doomben on November 7.

"It was an okay run but he knocked up which is only natural first-up," Birchley said.

"I'll be keeping a watch on the Sydney weather but in the meantime he'll need to put in up here in these type of races."

Birchley expects a strong performance from Pepperwood following his last-start fourth to Zahas Pride in a 1350-metre Open at Doomben on November 7.

"I was happy with the run and he only got beaten just over two lengths," Birchley said.

"It was only his second run back from a break and he's improved a lot since then."

Trainer David Murphy is also looking at the Villiers Stakes with talented galloper Deacon who will be ridden by Joe Bowditch in the Recognition Stakes.

Deacon clashed with Pepperwood last start when making his comeback with a fast-finishing eighth to Zahas Pride.

"It was a good run first-up and he was beaten less than three lengths," Murphy said.

"He's improved heaps since then and this race should bring him on a lot.

"If he wins or runs well I'm thinking of taking him down for the Villiers."

Deacon started his career in Victoria but since joining Murphy's stable in July last year the gelding has won fives time from 18 starts.