The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team has opted for a pure speed test at Caulfield to mark the beginning of Espionage’s three-year-old season.

The Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) this Saturday will be Espionage’s return to racing, following a missed spring campaign due to a minor setback after a trial at Randwick last August.

Bott explained that the issue is now behind the Zoustar colt, who has undergone two trials in preparation for his race on Saturday, in addition to a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.

Having spent about three weeks in Melbourne, Espionage also trialled up the straight at Flemington on February 7, securing second place behind Traffic Warden, a contender for the Lightning Stakes.

Bott mentioned that the original plan was to enter Espionage in the Lightning Stakes. However, he felt that a handicap race against more seasoned weight-for-age horses would serve the colt’s career better at this stage.

Espionage will carry 50kg on Saturday and will be ridden by Dean Yendall.

“He had a small setback last time he was in work where he got to the trials but then we had to tip him out,” Bott said.

“We haven’t seen as much of him as we would have liked, and that weighed into one of the factors as to why he didn’t take his place in the Lightning at weight-for-age being a relatively inexperienced horse for where he’s at this stage of his career.

“His ability suggests that he can get there at some point, but we were probably a preparation behind in terms of having that three-year-old spring campaign to get him to where we wanted him to be.

“His two-year-old form was excellent, and I would say he’s a better three-year-old now, so it’s good to have him back.”

Espionage has been based at Waterhouse and Bott’s Flemington stable for nearly three weeks, with the Oakleigh Plate on Saturday serving as a stepping stone towards the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8.

“He’s had a bit of time down here to get settled in, get the prep right,” Bott said.

“He should be well placed in the Newmarket. That was the thinking of potentially running in the Lightning, but he’s had that trial down there now and he trialled great up the straight.”