Awesome Rock will wear blinkers in the Danehill Stakes to boost the colt’s chances of claiming a valuable Group race win.

Awesome Rock ran well for third first-up in the McNeil Stakes behind Chivalry and has been kept to 1200m for Saturday’s Group Two straight-track sprint at Flemington.

Co-trainer Troy Corstens is convinced it is the right time to apply blinkers to Awesome Rock in a race for the first time.

“If we can get a three-year-old Group race (win) down the straight on his resume it would be fantastic, and they just help him concentrate that little bit more,” Corstens said of the gear change.

“I think they will be really good addition for Saturday.”

The colt wore winkers in his final autumn start when unplaced in the Todman Stakes and again first-up in the Group Three McNeil, and has worked in blinkers.

“He had blinkers on in his trial down the straight (before the McNeil) and he was just a touch keen so that’s why we were reluctant to put them on first-up,” Corstens said.

“But he’s been working in them a couple of times since and we’re really, really happy with him.”

A runner-up in the Group Two VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes as a juvenile, Awesome Rock is after his first stakes win.

Corstens said Awesome Rock had been to the beach a lot since the McNeil and had thrived.

Damien Oliver retains the ride on Saturday in a race which is set to feature a quality line-up of three-year-olds.

Group One-winning filly Go Indy Go makes her first spring appearance while the 23 nominations also includes Group One JJ Atkins Stakes placegetters Brazen Beau and Looks Like The Cat, Vain Stakes winner Get The Nod, Mitchell McKenzie Stakes winner Rich Enuff, and Todman Stakes winner Ghibellines.

“It’s a really good race. A very tough field,” Corstens said.

“But I think he (Awesome Rock) has come on since his first-up run and I think if he doesn’t finish in the placings I’d be very disappointed.”