From the time he saw him in the sales ring, trainer Steven O'Dea knew the yearling that would become Sir Moments was going to be a star.

But the Brisbane trainer was resigned to the colt heading to Sydney after Jamie Walter bought him at the Magic Millions for his Proven Thoroughbreds Syndicate with the intention of sending him to his brother Guy at Warwick Farm.

O'Dea kept a close watch on the progress of Sir Moments when he was being pre-trained near Brisbane and updated Jamie Walter constantly.

"Originally the horse was going to Guy but Jamie knew how much I liked him and after a while he said I could keep him in Brisbane," O'Dea said.

Sir Moments' biggest win so far has been the Group Two Queensland Guineas, just a day after Jamie Walter gave the eulogy for his brother Guy who died suddenly in May.

The winner of six of his 12 starts, Sir Moments is in Sydney to run in Saturday's Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill as a precursor to the Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) two weeks later.

"We are testing the waters with the Villiers," O'Dea said.

"It was always the plan to just give him a short summer campaign and think about the autumn and winter.

"Sydney will tell us where he sits."

Sir Moments goes to the Festival at his third start of the campaign having run third first-up before scoring at the Gold Coast.

His jockey Timothy Bell is in no doubt Sir Moments will more than hold his own in top company.

"Sir Moments is a very good horse. At his last start win at the Gold Coast he began better than I anticipated, and we were able to find the fence."

"As I said at the time it was really all over red rover at the top of the straight.

"He still wanted to prick his ears after he hit the lead but he was too strong and it was a handy field."

Bell claimed his first Brisbane premiership last season by two wins over Michael Cahill and said he would like to return to Sydney when the time was right.

He served his apprenticeship with Sue Grills as Tamworth and travelled regularly to Sydney.

"When I was an apprentice I rode in Sydney often so I know the tracks," he said.

"Once I establish myself as a multiple Brisbane premiership rider I would like to ride full time in Sydney or Melbourne."