Prussian Vixen after the Caulfield money

The bigger purse on offer in the VOBIS Gold Sprint has lured trainer Michael Mehegan away from a stakes race at Caulfield.

Mehegan had the option to run Prussian Vixen in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes on Saturday but with the extra $130,000 prize money, he settled on the VOBIS Gold Sprint.

“She could have run in the Bel Esprit in which she was better weighted but she is a Super VOBIS Gold horse and it’s good money, so we’ll roll the dice,” Mehegan said.

Prussian Vixen carries the same weight as multiple black-type winners Tycoon Tara and Miss Promiscuity on Saturday, but is better weighted than some of the other mares in the 1200m sprint.

The four-year-old enters Saturday’s race having defeated Silent Sedition, a subsequent winner of the Group One William Reid Stakes, at Group Three level in February before being run down by Bassett in the Hareeba Stakes at Mornington on March 25.

Mehegan said the six weeks between runs told on Prussian Vixen at Mornington.

“She was a bit soft but she ran terrific and they broke the record,” Mehegan said.

“I did trial her ten days before that but it ended up being a pretty soft trial.

“She needed a stronger trial but there was nothing in there and she led them comfortably and had no pressure put on her.”

Mehegan had intended to take Prussian Vixen to Sydney for the Sapphire Stakes at Randwick on April 8 but the mare had a minor setback when she tied up.

If she runs to expectations on Saturday, Prussian Vixen could be Adelaide bound for the Group One Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on May 6.

“If she runs up to the Hareeba race and the couple of starts before that then we’d seriously consider the Sangster, which is two weeks from Saturday,” Mehegan said.

“It’s a million dollar race this year but there’s a lot of good horse like I Am A Star, English and those types of horses going, so she’ll have to be at the top of her game to go.”