After running out of the money at Caulfield in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), Grunt (O'Reilly x Ruqqaya) is in line for a return to his favoured Flemington track in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and a daunting clash with champion Winx.
Grunt has shown his liking for Flemington with three wins from four starts at the course including Group One victories in the Australian Guineas in March and the weight-for-age Makybe Diva Stakes last month in his past two visits there.
Trainer Mick Price had been planning to go to the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 13 with Grunt as his final lead-in to the Cox Plate (2040m) but has now changed thoughts after the four-year-old's Underwood Stakes failure.
Although he is trained at Caulfield, Grunt has been unplaced in his three starts on his home track including his Underwood sixth.
"Grunt has been nominated for the Turnbull Stakes this Saturday as opposed to returning to Caulfield for the Caulfield Stakes," Mick Price Racing tweeted.
"All being well with the horse this week, he will run."
Grunt is among 13 horses nominated to line up against champion Winx in the Turnbull.
Winx won last year's Turnbull by 6-1/2-lengths on her way to her third Cox Plate win and Saturday's race is set to be the final lead-up to her attempt at an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate win at Moonee Valley three weeks later.
Winx was at $1.20 on Monday in an all-in market. -AAP