Centre Pivot has targeted the $1 million Stayers Cup at Magic Millions day on January 9 for the past year and the Festival is a key part of his program but he has been left without jockey.

"We had one booked but he has decided to ride something else and with so many of them away or suspended it is tough to find someone else," Sargent said. "We are working it out at the moment.

"[Centre Pivot] is not the sort of horse you want to put a kid on because he is so big and strong. He has come on from his first-up run and he likes Rosehill and firm going, which he should get on Saturday.

"We just need to find a jockey."

Centre Pivot was well beaten on the heavy track first-up behind Zanbagh at Rosehill on November 14, but after a similar run first-up at is last preparation, Centre Pivot caused a shock second-up.

"He needed to have that run to have the miles in his legs for the Gold Coast, which is the goal. We have mapped out a program to get there and it would have been hard to do that without that first-up run," Sargent said.

"On Saturday it is a trip he is very comfortable at as well, and I think you will see a different horse, especially on firm ground."

John Thompson is confident Zanbagh can continue her winning form in the Festival Stakes, which she has earned her run in after bouncing off her first-up win for a new yard.

"I thought she would run well first-up but she did catch me a bit by surprise," Thompson said. "The wet track certainly helped her but she has just kept going forward.

"The first idea was to go straight to the Villiers because she is such a good fresh horse but the way she going we need to have another run because she is that well.

"The 1500m is going to be much better for her in terms of trip and the way she looks, and she going to run a big race again."

Chris Waller will have up to four runners in the Festival with I'm Imposing looking for back-to-back wins and on a similar path to last year when he was Villiers Stakes runner-up and won the Summer Cup on Boxing Day.

Heart Testa, She's Clean and last start winner Telepathic could make a quartet of runners for the Waller yard.

"They are all a run at time horses and will look how they go, before making a decision what is next for them," Waller said. "I'm Imposing will run in the series of races like last year."

Godolphin will start It's Somewhat after he had some time off following a short spring campaign where he didn't come up.