The Group One Caulfield Guineas is the ultimate target for Holyfield this spring but whether he heads there via the $1 million Golden Rose remains a point of contention.
Co-trainer Ciaron Maher is keen to see how Holyfield fares in the Group Three Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday before locking in further plans.
“The race I have always been planning for him is the Guineas. The Rose is an option depending on how he goes,” Maher said.
A stakes-winning juvenile, Holyfield lumped a hefty weight on a waterlogged track first-up in the Up And Coming Stakes and warmed up late for sixth behind runaway winner North Pacific.
His performance pleased Maher, who said the colt had taken vast improvement from the outing.
“He did have a big weight, the track was very testing and we said before the race we were going to ride him a bit conservatively for that reason,” Maher said.
“I was very happy with the way he finished off. He has improved in all ways from the race and he will be thereabouts on Saturday.”
The Chris Waller-trained Overlord is a dominant TAB fixed odds favourite for the Ming Dynasty at $2.50 with Kumasi next pick at $5.
Holyfield is among four horses sharing the third line of betting as a $7.50 chance.