Courtesy The West Australian website:

Trainer Fred Kersley has sprung a surprise by announcing he will enter champion galloper Northerly for Saturday's $400,000 weight-for-age Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

The gelding, who boosted his stake earnings beyond $8 million when he brilliantly won Saturday's St George Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, looked in top order yesterday.

He is nominal favourite for the $1.25 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 10.

If Northerly tackles the Futurity, classy WA sprinter Old Fashion will be among his rivals. Old Fashion is booked to be flown from Perth tonight and his trainer, Vernon Brockman, has engaged Stephen Miller to ride the Railway Stakes winner on Saturday.

Kersley said yesterday he had added the Futurity to his options in the Australian Cup lead-up because he was worried that Northerly might not be at peak fitness for the rich Flemington race.

The trainer said after the St George Stakes that his star would be nominated for Saturday's $100,000 Victoria Gold Cup over 2000m, a distance which would suit Northerly's program leading to the Australian Cup.

Kersley's consideration of the Futurity Stakes comes as a surprise because stayers rarely switch back to a sprint when heading to a major middle-distance race.

"There is a risk Northerly wouldn't be in peak form at Australian Cup time if he did not start in the previous 16 days," Kersley said yesterday.

"I now consider we have three options in the next fortnight. The Victoria Gold Cup is a handicap over the right distance. It has a 60kg maximum but rivals will have light weights and Northerly is no longer suited by handicaps.

"The Futurity is probably too short for him to be a strong winning prospect but the race has weight-for-age conditions that are ideal for him.

"Our third option is to give him solid trackwork to ensure he's fully fit on Australian Cup day. We'll decide on Wednesday or Thursday morning whether he races at Caulfield again next Saturday."

Northerly, a winner at 13 of his 18 Melbourne starts, delighted Kersley in the St George Stakes. "He was fully tested by Field Of Omagh's challenge to the 200m post but then went to the line with something in reserve," the trainer said.

"Northerly was not stressed by the race and has benefited from it. He pulled up without cuts or bruises."

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