Sydney’s weather and the resulting track conditions at Rosehill will play a key role in determining whether import Zarakem takes his place in the Ranvet Stakes or waits for another opportunity.

The second highest-rated runner in Saturday’s seven-horse field, behind only Cox Plate heroine Via Sistina, Zarakem brings impressive European formlines, including a Group 1 second to Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2011m) last year.

However, he failed to replicate that form at his Australian debut in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m), with connections suggesting he may have struggled on the firm track.

“He was a bit disappointing first run,” said Ciaron Maher’s Sydney foreman, Johann Gerard-Dubord. “The track was very firm, so that might have been a factor, and a mile was obviously short of his best.”

“The plan is to run on Saturday, but we’ll keep an eye on the track conditions. If it’s too firm, we’ll likely wait until next week or go straight to the Queen Elizabeth (Stakes).”

Rosehill was rated a good 4 on Thursday, but the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting possible showers and a storm on Friday.

Via Sistina will be aiming to become the first back-to-back winner of the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) since Theseo in 2009-10 and is a prohibitive $1.40 favourite to achieve the feat.

English raider Al Mubhir, from the powerful William Haggas yard, is considered her biggest threat at $6.50, ahead of Via Sistina’s Chris Waller-trained stablemates Lindermann and Full Count Felicia, both priced at $9.50 each.

Lindermann has two wins from four starts over the course and distance, including a Rosehill Guineas victory on the corresponding program two years ago.

Full Count Felicia, an American import for Yulong and a Group 1 winner in Canada in September, is fresh out of quarantine and set to make her local debut.