Mike Moroney's chances of a first Queensland Derby success this winter will become clearer when two of his hopefuls look to cement interstate plans in the same race on Wednesday.

Rhythm To Spare and Murcielaga line up in the Le Pine Funerals Handicap (1600m) at Sandown with both on trial for the Group One 2400m Classic in Brisbane.

Moroney said Saint Or Sinner, who was second to Prince Of Penzance at Flemington on Saturday, and Rhythm To Spare would be the "early picks" from his team a month out from the Derby at Eagle Farm.

"Rhythm To Spare is a really nice horse," Moroney said.

"We were trying to get him ready for the New Zealand Derby but he got shin sore so we brought him across here, and he won his Australian debut well (at Bendigo).

"All going well he'll go to Queensland for the Derby."

The Moroney-trained Walloon Region was also entered for Wednesday's race but will be scratched to run at Ballarat on Sunday.

The Flemington-based trainer has 18 horses among the 122 Queensland Derby nominations.

Saint Or Sinner and Ali Vital, a maiden winner at Warrnambool last week, are due to go north on Tuesday night while New Zealand-based filly The Last Shower is heading across the Tasman in a bid to qualify for the Queensland Oaks.

"We've got a lot of slow-maturing three-year-olds that are just hitting their straps," Moroney said.

"We'll give them all the chance to see where they fit in."

The trainer said Rhythm To Spare had gone the right way since he won a 1300m maiden at Bendigo and believes he will be hard to beat on Wednesday.

Murcielaga will be out to bounce back after being "a shade disappointing" when 12th in a 1400m race at Caulfield second-up.

"He's on trial to head north if he goes well enough and if he doesn't we'll stop and geld him," Moroney said.

Moroney's past Queensland winter carnival success has included an Oaks win with Eskimo Queen in 2007, a Doomben Cup with Sarerra in 2008 and also a Stradbroke Handicap with Mr Baritone in 2008.

"I won the Oaks with Eskimo Queen but it would be nice to win a Derby as well," Moroney said.