The trainers of several leading Caulfield Guineas hopes were putting on a brave face after landing awkward gates in Tuesday's barrier draw for the $1,008,000 race.
A full field of 16 plus four emergencies accepted on Tuesday morning, costing the well-tried Danny O'Brien galloper Iamzeus a berth in the 20.
However, there could be late changes to the final field. Sydney galloper Rhyno Chaser was under an injury cloud and the Lloyd Williams-owned Tindal drew gate 19.
Of the four favourites only the Mick Price-trained Lord Tavistock drew a single-digit barrier.
Favourite Whobegotyou landed barrier 12, one outside of Gai Waterhouse's colt Dreamscape, while fellow Sydney three-year-old Duporth drew gate 10.
David Hayes' pair had contrasting fortunes. All American, to be ridden by stable hoop Craig Williams, has gate four while Von Costa De Hero has barrier 14.
Mark Kavanagh said there was nothing wrong with Whobegotyou's barrier, saying the gelding was likely to settle out the back.
"The last two starts he's had at Caulfield we've been trapped on the inside," Kavanagh said of his last-start Bill Stutt Stakes winner. "He's on the way up and his last run was pretty and he's done everything right for this race."
Anthony Cummings admitted the draw was not ideal for Duporth.
"Most of the horses drawn inside him are going to take a position something similar to where he might so we'll have to sit back a little further than would otherwise have been the case," he said.
Lord Tavistock trialled with blinkers at Caulfield on Tuesday and jumped smoothly, Price said, after missing the start before a 'lackadaisical' fourth in the Guineas Prelude.
On that occasion, he was only 'half interested', Price said.
"We just wanted to get him jumping out of the gates quicker," he said. "He took a good 200m to get himself positioned out of the gates and got himself too far back."
"We've drawn ideally and he's one of the chances."
Troy Corstens, who will saddle Guineas Prelude winner Fernandina, said his horse would race just behind the pace after drawing the inside gate.
Tindal, a winner at Flemington on Saturday, was a surprise acceptor but Williams will be strongly considering scratching the horse following his horror alley.
Rhyno Chaser, who missed last Saturday's G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in Sydney after stepping on a nail, was now battling a pastern injury. He has barrier 17 in the Guineas.
"We're so close to being right. We've got another four days to go," trainer Kevin Moses told Melbourne radio station Sport 927 on Tuesday.
"I'll work him tomorrow and see how he is."