It has taken time and patience, but Matt Hoysted is more than satisfied with Uncommon James’ progress as he works his way back to his best.

The 2023 Oakleigh Plate winner showed signs of needing a run when he made his return at Randwick on March 8. Still, Hoysted believes the gelding has more to offer and could show it in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill this weekend.

His participation will be decided after a gallop at Rosehill on Monday, which will determine whether he contests The Galaxy or waits for the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) a week later.

“As long as he works well there and comes through it, we will accept for The Galaxy and assess after acceptances,” Hoysted said.

“We needed to see him back last start and have that zest for racing, which he did.

“He had almost ten months off and pulled up very ‘big’. They were carving out fast splits and he sustained a good gallop but felt the pinch over the last 100-metres which he was entitled to do,” he added, referring to his fourth-place run in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m).

After running fifth in The Galaxy last year, Uncommon James struggled in the Brisbane Winter Carnival, failing to finish in the placings.

“We did start to do things differently with him including giving him a nice break but it had more to do with him not appreciating the shifting surfaces that we had last winter,” Hoysted added.

“They were the worst runs of his career so we gave him a break but still weren’t happy with the way he came up, so we gave him another break and that has been the catalyst.

“He has come back a different horse. It was the best he’d looked for a long time but we still had to take it step-by-step, then his trials and jump outs were impressive.

“We saw him get back that enthusiasm to want to be there. That was the key and he is older now but still has that high-cruising speed and we’ll look to use that over further.”

Should he take on The Galaxy and win, Uncommon James would be the first Queensland-trained horse to do so since Temple Of Boom’s victory in 2012 under Tony Gollan.