The debut of Grand Cross has been delayed with the autumn carnival uppermost in the minds of trainer Gerald Ryan and the colt's owners.

A $1.3 million Easter yearling, Grand Cross was entered for Saturday's 2YO Plate at Randwick but will be saved for a campaign aimed at the Golden Slipper at the end of March.

"He's gone to the paddock for a couple of weeks," Ryan said.

"We are thinking about the autumn. He has had two preparations and we thought it would be better to turn him out now and come back for races early in the year."

While Grand Cross will be saved for another day, Ryan is pleased to have Qfighter running in the 1150m handicap.

The gelding had a barrier trial for Ryan as a two-year-old before he joined Ryan's ex-foreman Matt Dunn's Murwillumbah stable to race in Queensland.

"He was a QTIS horse so he needed to race up there for the bonus money," Ryan said.

"He's a five-year-old now so he's grown out of that and he's come back to Sydney and his half-sister Diamond Fund has gone up to Matt.

"I was pleased with his first start back and he's improved off that but he is a back marker and needs races run to suit."

Qfighter finished third at the first start of his campaign for Ryan, running home to get to within two lengths of Ball Of Muscle, a half brother to Group One winner Terravista.

Ryan also Peace Force at Randwick while a decision on whether Skarsgard runs on the Kensington track or is saved for Canterbury on Wednesday will be made on race morning.