Co-trainer David Eustace says Hitotsu will not be lacking for fitness when he runs first-up in the Australian Guineas at Flemington.
Victoria Derby winner Hitotsu has had a faultless preparation for his return outing at Flemington.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained three-year-old makes his reappearance in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Hitotsu has been the ruling favourite for the Guineas since nominations closed last month and is quoted as the $3.50 top pick with TAB ahead of Pinstriped ($5.50) and Captivant ($6).
Eustace said Hitotsu had not missed a beat in his preparation for his return adding the colt would not be lacking for fitness despite being first-up.
Hitotsu will be lining up for just his seventh start on Saturday and his fourth since joining Maher and Eustace having started his career with Wendy Kelly.
Maher and Eustace took Hitotsu from a maiden win first-up at Donald, straight to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), finishing fifth to Anamoe , before his win over 2500m in the Victoria Derby at Flemington.
To prepare for his return, Hitotsu has had a jump-out and an official trial at Cranbourne where he finished fifth to Forgot You, an opponent on Saturday, over 990m on February 7.
Eustace said a gallop on Monday will have Hitotsu in top order for his return.
“His jump-outs have been good, his work has been good, so we’re very happy,” Eustace said.
“He’s done enough work and he’ll be fit enough, it’s just whether he’s got the sharpness of the others.
“He obviously showed a good turn of foot at a mile-and-a-half, but it’s a whole other thing at the mile, however I think he showed in the Caulfield Guineas that he’s got that class.
“The tempo I think will be important, but I think it should be strong enough and the way he is going, I think he should be hard to beat.”