Derivative was once a leading candidate for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, but a lacklustre first-up performance altered the course for his connections.
Now, following a spell and encouraging trials, he will return to the track in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap (1000m) at Sandown this Saturday.
The Capitalist colt had impressed with a Cranbourne jump-out win and a Warwick Farm trial last December before travelling to Queensland with high hopes.
Scheduled to debut at Eagle Farm on December 28 in a 1200m race, Derivative’s start was ruined by a poor jump, effectively ending his Magic Millions aspirations.
“He’s a horse I’ve got a lot of time for,” said trainer Trent Busuttin.
“He showed a lot of promise in the lead up to the Magic Millions, so we took him up there to run in one of the qualifying races, but he missed the start and got it all wrong.
“So, we brought him home, gave him a spell and he’s trialled up well to run on Saturday.”
Saturday’s two-year-old race is part of the Next Generation Sprinters Series, which culminates in a final over 1200m at Flemington on July 5 for the top two finishers.
Busuttin believes the Flemington final is an ideal longer-term target.
“I would probably have preferred this race to be 1100 or 1200 metres, but I don’t think there’s too much coming up,” he said.
“This is part of the two-year-old series with a final at Flemington, and that’s the road I’m thinking of at the moment with him.
“I’m sure he’ll acquit himself well on Saturday and then we can have a think about that race at Flemington and may be after that freshen him up for some of the early spring races, but he is a horse that I do like.”