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Gai Waterhouse is banking on Converge to relish the Randwick mile.
There is no Profondo, but outstanding Godolphin colt Anamoe is set for another thrilling showdown with Hobartville Stakes placegetters Hilal and Converge in the $1 million Randwick Guineas.
Profondo was programmed to kick off his autumn in Saturday's Group One contest, but trainer Richard Litt has decided not to run the valuable colt in the heavy conditions in Sydney.
He will instead launch his campaign in Saturday's Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington where he has drawn barrier 15.
Anamoe is a clear-cut $2 favourite to become just the fourth horse in the past 40 years to capture the Caulfield and Randwick Guineas in the same season after Beechcraft (1983-84), Weekend Hussler (2007-08) and The Autumn Sun (2018-19).
After suffering a first-up defeat in the Expressway Stakes, the three-year-old bounced back to the winner's list when he narrowly edged out Hilal in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m), with Converge running on strongly for third.
Speaking from the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne earlier this week, Converge's co-trainer Gai Waterhouse was confident her J J Atkins winner had the wares to topple the favourite.
"Converge has done everything right going into the (Randwick) Guineas," Waterhouse said.
"I can't see why he can't turn the tables around."
Anamoe, Hilal and Converge have all performed well on soft tracks but none of them have experienced more testing conditions.
A field of 13 has been paid up for the Group 1 race, including the Chris Waller-trained trio of Coastwatch, Ranch Hand and Sword Point, although the first two are dual acceptors for the Australian Guineas.
Craig Williams has been booked for both in Melbourne, indicating only one will run there, and Waller's early thoughts are to send Coastwatch south.
"It's my preference to run him (Coastwatch) in Melbourne and split the two Coolmore horses up," Waller said.
While Ranch Hand is unproven over 1600m, Waller believes the colt is capable of running it out strongly, provided he relaxes in the run
"I think he will appreciate a mile if we can get him to settle.
"Anamoe is the benchmark, but Ranch Hand is a colt, so it's important."
