Trainer Jim Conlan has shrugged aside a series of setbacks with Rekindled Interest to keep the galloper on target for the Cox Plate.

Conlan has the five-year-old ready to go in Saturday's Group One Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, but he still does not have a jockey confirmed for the feature event.

Damien Oliver, who has been booked for the ride, was suspended for 11 meetings after being found guilty of excessively slackening the speed on Elite Elle in the Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday.

Oliver has appealed and his case will be heard on Wednesday, but Conlan said he had several jockeys on standby in case the guilty verdict stands.

"A couple of jockeys have made themselves available (including) Steven King and Michael Walker," Conlan told radio station RSN.

"All are competent riders and they should be fine whoever gets it."

Rekindled Interest worked at Flemington on Tuesday morning in blinkers.

"My original plan was probably to put blinkers back on for the Cox Plate but we've just been a little bit behind in the progress," he said.

"A few things just haven't worked for us."

Conlan was hit with two setbacks for Rekindled Interest in key Group Two races.

"We went into the Memsie and he got stopped in his tracks and he didn't quite get that hard a hit-out that I thought he needed that day," Conlan said.

In his most recent run, Rekindled Interest finished third behind Happy Trails and Green Moon in the Group Two Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600) at Moonee Valley but his lead-in was disrupted.

"Coming up to the Dato I had him lined up to work with (the John Sadler-trained) Linton and John ended up changing his mind about the work," Conlan said.

"I didn't have Linton so I had to adjust the work.

"Again he was just always was a little bit behind and I think he needed to come on a bit so I want him to have a fairly firm run on Saturday."

However he is confident Rekindled Interest will acquit himself well in the weight-for-age race.

"He will be fine by the time we get to the Cox Plate," Conlan said. "I think this run will bring him on even further.

"I'm very confident we're going to have him spot on by Cox Plate time."