Rosehill Guineas winner Dealer Principal will face a testing start to his spring campaign in Melbourne next month.
Trainer Anthony Cummings has already sent Dealer Principal to Melbourne and has him programmed to start off his spring campaign at Caulfield on August 16.
He has the option of two races at Caulfield on August 16, the $200,000 Liston takes (1400m) at weight-for-age opposed to a $60,000 sprint over 1200m.
The Liston is expected to feature Weekend Hussler and Light Fantastic, two horses Dealer Principal is destined to face several times through the spring as they proceed towards their major targets that include the $3 million Tatts W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
Dealer Principal was spelled after he finished fourth in the AJC Derby at Randwick on April 26, an effort that left Cummings weighing up his spring priorities for the rising four-year-old.
While Dealer Principal's Derby effort was good enough to rate him among the brightest candidates for the Caulfield Cup (2400m) Cummings believes the son of Flying Spur is likely to be better suited over the shorter 2040m of the Cox Plate at this stage of his career.
"The Cox Plate is the race for him but I haven't decided if he will start first-up in the Liston Stakes or the sprint over 1200m," said Cummings of the horse he is confident will fill the void left by the retirement of his best Group One performer Casino Prince.
"To do what he did in his first preparation was the job of a budding superstar.
“I can't wait for him to resume racing.”
Cummings will no doubt have an eye on exhibition gallops at Caulfield on Saturday as Weekend Hussler and Light Fantastic are both scheduled to have hitouts as they prepare for the Liston Stakes.
Cummings will be at Rosehill where he will roll out several of his leading spring contenders including Danehill Smile, Red Lord, and exciting Golden Rose prospects Duporth and Mansell.
