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Hugh Bowman will be a new rider for The Bopper in his $1m assignment at Royal Randwick next month.
Kris Lees moved swiftly to book the world-class jockey for his talented young sprinter in the Inglis Sprint (1200m) for three-year-olds at Royal Randwick on February 6.
Under the set weight conditions, The Bopper will carry 56kg.
The $1m feature is restricted to three-year-olds nominated for the Inglis race series. The lightly-raced son of Nicconi was a $30,000 purchase at the 2019 Inglis Scone yearling sale.
In confirming Bowman's engagement this morning, Lees reported The Bopper has come through his first-up run at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday against older horses in good order.
"He's fine," Lees said. "That race will have him ready for the Inglis Sprint."
The Bopper has raced only five times for three wins, including the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes over the Inglis Sprint course last October.
Rachel King was aboard when the gelding resumed at Rosehill Gardens last weekend and finished fourth to Tailleur in a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1100m).
Stewards reported he overraced in the middle stages, leaving him without a kick over the last 200m.
Classy stablemate Mugatoo will trial at Wyong on Tuesday week as connections ponder an autumn program for him.
The $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 13 – which Lees won with Lucia Valentina five years ago – is the Irish-bred gelding's long-term goal this campaign.
However, he has been entered for the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 13, and that option is definitely on the table.
Mugatoo ran an outstanding fourth to Sir Dragonet in the Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley last October, so he is no stranger to the tight circuit.
"Mugatoo could have trialled at Gosford earlier in the week, but I decided to wait for Wyong on Tuesday week," Lees said.
"The Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 27 is a possible starting point, but if we decide to go to Melbourne for the All-Star Mile, then he would most likely resume a fortnight earlier in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), also at Randwick."
Public voting opened today for the All-Star Mile, with the 10 most popular horses earning a spot in the 15-horse field; the remaining five wildcards to be determined through a combination of two "win and you're in" races and the All-Star Mile wildcard panel.
Mugatoo is closing in on becoming a "millionaire" for his Australian Bloodstock syndicate owners. His $250,000 Cox Plate fourth lifted his earnings to $958,392, with eight wins (including a breakthrough Newcastle Gold Cup victory for Lees last year) from 16 starts.
