By Robert Windmill

MELBOURNE, Feb 8 AAP - Trainer Leon Corstens will decide after a familiarising Moonee Valley track gallop whether Caulfield Guineas winner Starspangledbanner will line up in the Group One William Reid Stakes (1200m).

Corstens' son Troy confirmed the three-year-old would have a searching gallop over 1000 metres at the Valley on Tuesday which would determine plans to run him in Saturday's weight-for-age sprint.

"At this stage he is no certainty to run on Saturday," Corstens said.

"We will see how he pulls up from the gallop tomorrow and then make a decision."

Last month Starspangledbanner finished a close first-up fourth in the Group One Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, a day after he was sold for $10 million to Coolmore Stud.

Corstens said Starspangledbanner had benefited from the run and that he was yet to peak.

"He is well and truly still on the way up," Corstens said.

"He hasn't been to the Valley for a while so we thought we would take him there which will do his fitness a lot of good."

Corstens said Starspangledbanner's Lightning run was full of merit but tactics to try to take a sit off the speed may have worked against him.

"I wouldn't be too worried about his first-up run," Corstens said.

"We made a conscious decision beforehand to try and get a little bit of cover because we thought there would be a stack of speed in the race with horses like Burdekin Blues, but when he got in behind them I don't think he was comfortable.

"He might just be a free roller who needs to get out in front but in saying that he still broke 22s for his last 400 metres and was only 1.3 lengths from Nicconi who is one of the best sprinters in the land."

Starspangledbanner has won five of his 10 starts and earned more than $1 million in stakes.

The son of Choisir is among 14 entries for the William Reid which features a clash between Peter Moody's unbeaten filly Black Caviar and Nicconi.

Moody has also entered Lightning runner-up Wanted and Headway who was fifth in the Flemington sprint.

Lightning Stakes third placegetter Shellscrape and Turffontein will also gallop at Moonee Valley on Tuesday in preparation for the William Reid.

Team Hawkes has nominated Mentality and Dissolved while David Hayes has entered Nicconi's stablemate and Salinger Stakes winner Eagle Falls.

Sniper's Bullet and Light Fantastic provide added interest.

Entries have been extended until Tuesday morning and the final field will be declared on Wednesday.

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