Greg Eurell is excited about Apache Cat's showdown with Weekend Hussler in the first Group One race of 2009, the Lightning Stakes, ahead of a possible international campaign.

Australia's champion sprinter of last season, Apache Cat returned from Hong Kong last week and will kick off his autumn campaign against the reigning Horse of the Year in the weight-for-age sprint at Flemington on January 31.

"It looks like it is going to a great race," Eurell said.

"It will be good to see a couple of great horses do battle."

The Lightning was among five Group One sprint wins for Apache Cat last season while Weekend Hussler won Victoria's premier sprint double - the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap.

Apache Cat finished third in the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on December 14 and entered quarantine at Sandown last Tuesday.

Eurell said the six-year-old would be at his top for the Lightning and would resume trackwork at Sandown next week before returning to his Cranbourne stables on January 6.

"He's had two weeks off from the Sprint in Hong Kong and should freshen up quite well for the Lightning," Eurell said.

"He is in great order. We are just marking time with him at the moment and I can't wait to get him going again."

Apache Cat was unplaced when he resumed in the Group One Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 8 but redeemed himself with his photo finish second to Takeover Target in Perth and half length third to Inspiration in Hong Kong.

"He didn't have a very hard spring and the travelling hasn't worried him one little bit," Eurell said.

Last autumn Apache Cat won the Lightning Stakes, Australia Stakes at Moonee valley and TJ Smith at Randwick but only the first two of those assignments are confirmed again.

Eurell said he would consider a range of international options including the Golden Shaheen (1200m) on dirt in Dubai on March 28.

"Dubai is in the mix but with the race being on dirt I want to do a bit homework on it first," Eurell said.

He said alternatively the TJ Smith in April could be a preliminary to the KrisFlyer International (1200m) in Singapore in May and Royal Ascot's major sprints in June or the Brisbane's Group One double of the BTC Cup-Doomben 10,000 which he landed last season.

"It is hard to map out everything there is but you have got to make the most of what is around for him," Eurell said.