Franco Nelson's Auckland Cup campaign may have been one of the shortest in history.
Just a day after his connections confirmed they were aiming the NZ Cup runner up at the Alexandra Park classic on December 31, they have changed their minds.
A luckless fifth in last Friday's Inter Dominion Final in Perth, Franco Nelson will now remain there for the next five weeks at least.
"We were dead set coming home for the Auckland Cup but a few little things changed and Perth now looks the better option," said unofficial trainer John Dunn. "So he will stay there, maybe race in a A$60,000 race in two weeks and then the Fremantle and West Australian Cups in January.
"He will stay with Greg and Skye Bond but there is a chance Dexter [Dunn, brother] may go across to drive him in the big ones."