Reigning Blue Diamond favourite Hanseatic will put his credentials on show when he makes his return in the Preview at Caulfield.
Hanseatic will try to give his trainer Anthony Freedman and owner Sheikh Mohammed a second-straight Blue Diamond next month after Lyre’s success a year ago.
The colt won the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on debut in November and is scheduled to resume in Saturday’s Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) for two-year-old colts and geldings with Luke Currie to ride.
Saturday’s meeting also features the Group Three Blue Diamond Preview for fillies, with the two races a pointer to the $1.5 million Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) on February 22.
Hanseatic won a jump-out at Flemington last Friday in preparation for his return.
“He has come through his jump-out well,” Freedman’s racing manager, Brad Taylor, said.
“He’s forward enough to run a good race next week but with plenty of improvement to come towards the grand final in February.”
Hanseatic was the $9 favourite in the TAB’s Blue Diamond market on Sunday.
The Freedman stable is scheduled to have three runners in Saturday’s fillies’ division – Supreme Idea, Award Winner and Bombay Rocket.
Supreme Idea won a Geelong maiden by 2-1/2-lengths on debut on December 26 while Award Winner earlier made a winning start to her career at Bendigo on December 15, beating subsequent Flemington winner A Beautiful Night.
Bombay Rocket was a close second to A Beautiful Night in that 1000m Flemington race for two-year-old fillies on January 1.
On Friday night at The Valley, the Freedman-trained four-year-old entire Ringerdingding is scheduled to kick off his campaign in the Group Two Australia Stakes (1200m).