More Joyous’ regular rider Nash Rawiller will stick with his golden girl in the 2013 Canterbury Stakes in Sydney on Saturday week choosing the eight-time Group 1 winning mare over her star stablemate Pierro in the classic.

Run as a Group 1 race for the first time this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the $350,000 weight-for-age Canterbury Stakes (1300m) is shaping up as super showdown between reigning Doncaster Mile champ More Joyous and the fellow Gai Waterhouse-trained headliner Pierro.

The race will be the second time the dynamic duo meet and Rawiller was facing a dilemma every jockey would love to have, which of the two to ride.

Rawiller has ridden More Than Ready mare More Joyous for all but five of her 30 career starts to date, which has won her over $4.49 million in prize money, including 18 victories and seven at elite level.

He is also well acquainted with Lonhro colt Pierro who he has partnered for 10 of their 11 runs including their Group 1 triple as a two-year-old last autumn and their narrow first-up return at Rosehill in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes.

In the end however it was More Joyous, who hasn’t raced since her luckless 11^th from a wide gate in the Cox Plate behind Ocean Park where Pierro ran a game third when ridden by Corey Brown, who has won Rawiller’s commitment.

“It’s like choosing between your kids,” Rawiller said.

“But it wasn’t really a decision I had to make as I already had a commitment to ride More Joyous in the Canterbury Stakes before the race was put on Pierro’s program.

“I want to do the right thing by everyone, so I will stick with that.”

Pierro was originally to back-up this Saturday at Warwick Farm in the $500,000 Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) but Waterhouse opted to bypass the race not wanting to push the valuable colt too hard too soon.

Hall of Famer Jim Cassidy will now ride Pierro in the Canterbury where the youngster will likely jump odds-on favourite.

More Joyous meanwhile was on display with a nice gallop between races at Warwick Farm on the weekend which Rawiller, who will miss this Saturday due to suspension, was impressed with.

“More Joyous is going well,” he said.

“Her gallop on Saturday was super.”

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