Adelaide trainer David Balfour was uncertain where to run his mare Obsidian Dragon this Saturday before the barrier draw made the decision clear.

Balfour had accepted with the five-year-old for 1000 metre races at Morphettville Parks and at Moonee Valley.

A wide barrier at home and gate one in Melbourne had Balfour reaching for the keys to the float.

"I'll scratch her here and she'll go to Melbourne tonight (Thursday)," Balfour said.

"I was hoping to draw well in Adelaide and then just give her a run around here.

"She could get away with a race here and then we could float her to Melbourne in a fortnight where there's a Listed race at Caulfield for $120,000.

"The barriers made the decision when we drew nine out of 10 in Adelaide and one in Melbourne."

Balfour is hoping Obsidian Dragon can atone for her last start effort at Moonee Valley when she failed to beat a runner home, although he is philosophical about the result.

"The other day she drew a very awkward barrier and Stevie (jockey Steven Arnold) was stuck three and four deep," he said.

"He took a sit and she got in behind them and that's not her style.

"From gate one it will be a different ball game. She'll be hard to beat from gate one."

Obsidian Dragon won a Mares Handicap at Moonee Valley last New Year's Eve when she led throughout and Balfour said the same strategy would be employed there on Saturday.

"I think so, we'll definitely go forward," he said, adding that she had recovered well from her last start.

"She came through and is as good as gold - I just put her in the paddock for a week just to freshen her up a bit.

"She had a couple of gallops and worked terrific on Tuesday so she's good."

Obsidian Dragon is on the third line of betting for the City Jeep Handicap (1000m) at $5 with Winter King the TAB fixed odds favourite at $3.20.

Kulgrinda ($4.40) from the Peter Moody yard splits the pair.