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Kris Lees says it is the right year to have a shot at Australasia’s weight-for-age championship – the $5m Cox Plate – with $26 outsider Mugatoo.

Connections made the decision to dodge last Saturday's $5m Caulfield Cup – a 2400m handicap – and Lees feels a "few things are coming together" to give the talented six-year-old better than an rough chance in Saturday's Group 1 2040m feature at The Valley.

"In a normal year, you probably wouldn't consider running Mugatoo  in such a prestigious weight-for-age event," Lees said this afternoon.

"I've got no doubt he is still untapped, and this is definitely the right year to throw your hat in the ring.

"There's no Winx or Lys Gracieux, and the forecast rain will only enhance Mugatoo's chances.

"He has a nice turn of foot, and the three weeks' break between runs and coming back to the 2000m are ideal."

Lees has advised punters to forget Mugatoo's sixth of nine to Caulfield Cup winner Verry Elleegant in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens in late March at his first attempt at wfa racing, when assessing his Cox Plate prospects.

"I'm prepared to forgive him that performance," he said.

"Mugatoo had run a week earlier (when narrowly beaten by Young Rascal in the 2400m Group 3 Manion Cup at Rosehill) and though he did well in the stable, he simply didn't back up.

"That's a particular reason why I have spaced his runs as best we can this campaign.

"Even though Mugatoo is a big horse, he has handled the tight Valley circuit without any problem in his gallops there last Saturday morning and again on Tuesday.

"He has been in Melbourne for over a fortnight and settled in really well. I couldn't be happier with him; there'll be no excuses on Saturday."

Because of the COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne, Lees will watch the Cox Plate on television at Royal Randwick on Saturday, and stable foreman Cameren Swan will saddle the gelding for his tilt at Group 1 glory.

Mugatoo (John Allen) will be Lees' third Cox Plate runner. His outstanding mare Samantha Miss (then a three-year-old filly) was an unlucky third to Maldivian in 2008 before bolting away with the VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington 12 days later, and another outstanding mare Lucia Valentina was retired after finishing seventh to Winx in 2016.

She had won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick earlier that year.

Chief Ironside  (Craig Williams) will be Lees' other Valley runner on Saturday as the import seeks to defend his Group 2 Crystal Mile title.

English jockey Jamie Spencer rode Chief Ironside when he won last year's renewal for French-born trainer David Menuisier.

Chief Ironside has run well at both starts this campaign; finishing a first-up third to Rock in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle on September 18 and then sixth to Mr Quickie in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10 after looming strongly in the straight.

"He has trained on well since the Toorak, but we don't want heavy rain for him," Lees said.

. Recent acquisition Collide's Melbourne spring campaign is over before it started.

The Frankel six-year-old, who has won six of his 16 starts, was to have contested Saturday week's Lexus Hotham Stakes (2500m) at Flemington in an attempt to gain entry into the field for the Melbourne Cup (3200m) there three days later.

"We're just not happy with him after a long season of racing in the UK and then France," Lees said.

"He will come to Newcastle early next week for a spell, and we will look ahead to the autumn."

Collide ran sixth to Call The Wind in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (3000m) at Deauville (France) on August 23 before being flown to Melbourne and entering quarantine at Werribee earlier this month.