It's the $2.6million question facing Canberra trainer Matt Dale.
Does he enter his eight-year-old gelding Happy Finish in Saturday's Summer Sizzler against multiple Group1 winner Sniper's Bullet, or opt for the easier ratings handicap over 1250m at Canterbury?
Dale will make up his mind this morning after today's acceptances, but admits to be leaning towards the ratings 80 handicap rather than tackle the champion sprinter with prizemoney exceeding $2.6million.
''We'll know everything [this morning], but his form is good,'' Dale said.
''He only got beaten a nose at that track and distance a couple of starts back.
Happy Finish was a last-start third at Cowra, and Dale said it was proving difficult finding runs for his charge in the country.
''We've got to go to town with him - he's just too hard to place in the country. Unless you can find an open class sprint for him, which is very rare, we basically need to take him to town.''
Sniper's Bullet will be an acceptor for Saturday's feature but trainer Tracey Bartley is yet to commit to a start.
After seeing the initial six nominations for the 1250m handicap Bartley decided to put in a late entry for his eight-year-old.
News Alert has been given top weight with 62kg while Sniper's Bullet has 1kg less.
''We'll accept in the morning and then weigh things up from there,'' Bartley said.
''Originally I bypassed this race and said we'd go straight to the Expressway Stakes [on February11] but then I had a look last night and knew they would have to weight him back off News Alert so I threw him in.
''I'll just consider my options now.''
Sniper's Bullet returned from a lengthy spell with an encouraging third to Unanimously and Eight Bills in the Listed Canterbury Classic (1100m) under lights on January13.
The three-time Group1 winner powered to the line from last in the seven-horse field and was doing his best work late, to Bartley's delight.
''He showed that old bit of zest again,'' the trainer said.
''If he runs on Saturday we'll just ride him quiet again.''
Bartley said if he opted against starting the gelding this weekend he would continue with the original plan to run next in the Group2 Expressway (1200m) at weight-for-age.
The veteran galloper has continued to please Bartley since his slashing first-up effort.
''He's terrific," Bartley said.
''He's done a lot of swimming and had a little gallop this morning. It was just his second bit of fast work since he raced but he's been swimming on every slow day and I'm very happy with him.''
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