The weather and all-important track condition will determine whether Ole Dancer takes her place in a Stakes race at Sandown.
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare is down to run in the Group 3 Carlyon Stakes (1000m) on Saturday.
The Carlyon Stakes is being run this year at Sandown as its usual home of Moonee Valley is undergoing a rebuild and still around 12 months away from a racing return.
Coleman said the stable was keeping a close watch on the weather and going which on Thursday was posted as a Soft 6.
“She’s come back good,” Coleman said.
“She has had that one trial. We’re looking at keeping her to shorter trips this time around, but we’re also keeping a watch on the weather and track conditions, so whether she kicks off this weekend or we wait for the following week, I think she will be forward enough to run well wherever we go.”
Successful last spring in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield, Coleman said the daughter of Ole Kirk would be kept to shorter trips this campaign.
Coleman said keeping the mare fresh may produce the best from the now four-year-old.
“We felt that she lost a bit of that spark in a couple of her runs when we tried to stretch her out, so we’ve decided to drop her back in trip, keep her fresh, and pinging,” Coleman said.
“That’s how we’re looking at the prep at this stage and whether we do end up getting her back out 1400 (metres), we’ll be open minded.”
Ole Dancer hasn’t been seen since running towards the back of the field in the Group 1 Coolmore Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill in March.
That followed a first-up second to Sass Appeal at Flemington on February 14 before running third to Tempted in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Ole Dancer showed she had come back in good order when defeating stable star Sheza Alibi in an 800m jump-out on July 28.
With a racing style that can see Ole Dancer go forward or drift back, Coleman said they would be open-minded on Saturday.
“We’ll just ride her where she’s comfortable,” Coleman said.
