Popular Tasmanian galloper The Cleaner will be back in Melbourne for the Group One Emirates Stakes which has attracted a capacity field.
The Mick Burles-trained The Cleaner captured the racing public’s imagination with his winning run into the Cox Plate before finishing unplaced at Moonee Valley.
He has drawn barrier six in Saturday’s 1600-metre race at Flemington and is joint topweight on 58kg with Stradbroke Handicap winner River Lad (barrier 14) who carries the number one saddlecloth.
Speediness will start from the rails draw in his bid to break through at the highest level, while the in-form Darren Weir-trained Lucky Hussler has gate 15.
Godolphin import Contributer has barrier two while the Nigel Blackiston-trained Desert Jeuney has drawn the outside.
The Anthony Cummings-trained Spy Decoder, runner-up in a Melbourne Cup day support race, is the emergency and has barrier 13.