Dual acceptor Theanswermyfriend (High Chaparral) will run from a wide barrier at Flemington instead of an inside draw at Randwick.
The Robert Smerdon-trained sprinter was scratched on Thursday evening from Saturday's TAB.com.au Handicap at Randwick to run in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m) at Flemington.
If the gelding was to run in Sydney he would have had to have left on Thursday night from Smerdon's Caulfield stable.
Theanswermyfriend, sold for $70,000 from Curraghmore's 2015 NZB draft, runs from the widest barrier on Saturday over the 1400 metres and Smerdon said deep consideration went into the decision.
He will jump from barrier 14 at Flemington following the scratching of Sydney galloper Burning Passion while at Randwick he drew the inside gate over 1200m.
Testing the gelding out against stronger opposition on home soil won out.
"He's a fair way out of the handicap although at some stage you've got to test them," Smerdon said.
"If you happen to win you jump a fair way in the ratings, but it's that time of year and you want to know if you're up to that class of horse."
Theanswermyfriend was devastating winning over Saturday's course and distance in March before running second on heavy ground in the Carbine Club Stakes at Randwick in April.
His two runs back from a spell have resulted in second placings, both at Caulfield.
Craig Williams takes the ride on Saturday and Theanswermyfriend is the $5 second pick behind Mr Sneaky ($3.20) who had the better of him at Caulfield on September 2. -AAP
