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Trainer James Cummings and Godolphin will be hoping fitness acquired in two summer races could be to the benefit of Dickin Medal when the three-year-old steps out in a stakes race at Caulfield on Saturday.
Dickin Medal takes on five opponents in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) which comes off the back of wins at his only two starts.
The son of Snitzel scored a four-length maiden victory at Geelong last month as a heavily supported $1.95 favourite before venturing to town to claim a three-year-old benchmark 70 race over 1100m at Caulfield on January 2.
Dickin Medal fell in that day by a half-head, but Damien Oliver said there was merit in the performance and he importantly sticks with the gelding on Saturday.
Cummings said the time was right to try Dickin Medal against better opposition on Saturday that includes Aysar and Tagaloa.
Aysar finished second in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in October while Tagaloa is the ruling Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner from last year.
"We're challenging him in a race that provides a good opportunity for him to exceed expectations," Cummings said.
"He's an award-winning three-year-old who has won both his starts and now tackles a trophy race."
Dickin Medal sits on the second line of betting with TAB at $3.40, having drifted from $3.10, while Aysar, a drifter from $2.90, holds favouritism at $3.30.
Tagaloa has been the best supported after the field was finalised, firming from $5.50 into $4.
With the Blue Diamond Stakes looming on February 20, the $3.50 favourite Enthaar makes her reappearance in the Group 3 Chairman's Stakes (1000m) on Saturday.
Enthaar is opposed to only five rivals and is the $1.28 favourite to maintain her unbeaten record having won the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on October 3 at her only start.
Opposed to Enthaar is Godolphin colt Ingratiating who scored on debut in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial (1000m) in October before running second to Finance Tycoon in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington the following month.
Ingratiating, backed from $4.60 into $4, is second favourite, with Son Of Mercury, a Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained stablemate of Enthaar on the third line at $9.50.
