Trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman are confident Yulong Command will appreciate being back at Flemington as he bids to make a return to winning form.
Yulong Command contests the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) on Saturday having finished third over the course and distance during Melbourne Cup week.
Sam Freedman said the stable was left guessing after Yulong Command finished a fading fifth in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on November 26.
“He didn’t seem as sharp as he normally is at Caulfield last time. He’s usually a little stronger than that,” Sam Freedman said.
“For some reason he didn’t run as well as he had down the straight at his start before, so we’ve come back to the straight for this run.
“He seems his usual self again, so hopefully he can run well.”
With three runs under the belt this campaign, Freedman said the stable had not had to do a lot of galloping to keep Yulong Command in peak condition for Saturday’s contest.
“We haven’t done a lot with him since. We haven’t worked him hard, kept him fresh,” Freedman said.
“He’s getting deeper into the prep, and getting a little older, so he doesn’t need to do a lot anyway.
“He’ll be up on the speed there somewhere, rolling along.”
Yulong Command finished third in the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) on November 3 which saw him line up against Kensington Stakes rivals Halvorsen and Ashford Street.
Both Ashford Street and Yulong Command meet Halvorsen, who finished fourth in the Century Stakes, on far better weight terms than at their last meeting.
Despite that weight difference, which is now 6kg as against 1.5kg from the Century Stakes, Halvorsen is expected to turn the tables on Yulong Command and is a $6 chance in latest betting.
Yulong Command is an $8 chance with Ashford Street at $11 while the Grahame Begg-trained Rose Quartz is the $2.60 favourite in the field of eight which has seen Alpha One and Deep Speed already withdrawn from the contest.