Xidaki will resume in Saturday’s Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, the first step in a campaign that could culminate in a run at the Stradbroke Handicap this winter.

Trainer Peter Snowden is pleased with how the four-year-old has returned, noting the gelding has come back from his spell looking the strongest he ever has.

“He looks a bit like Santa Claus at the moment, he’s got a bit of condition on him,” Snowden said.

“But he is going great. He is the biggest he’s ever been but he is the best he has ever looked.

“Hopefully we’re right on track because we’ve got a big preparation planned for him this time in.”

Last campaign, Xidaki went close in several major races, placing in the Silver Eagle (1300m) and Festival Stakes (1500m), and running midfield in the The Ingham (1600m).

To help him improve, Snowden has opted for a gear change this time around, hoping it will help the gelding race more generously.

“I have put a cross-over noseband on him because midrace a couple of times last campaign, he was getting too keen,” he said.

“It seems to be working really well at home. If he can just settle a bit more in his races, some of those margins he got beaten by were very slender and he was getting himself beaten by getting aggressive too early.

“Hopefully he races more settled and he can win a good race.”

While the ultimate goal lies deeper in the prep, Snowden isn’t ruling out a strong fresh performance.

“Third and fourth up is when we really want him to perform. But last time in first-up I thought he couldn’t win and he ran a blinder,” Snowden said.

“Never dismiss him because he is a genuine, honest horse.”

That first-up effort was a close second in last year’s Silver Eagle, highlighting Xidaki’s ability to produce a big run fresh.