French import Less Is More will be on trial for a trip to Melbourne when he lines up for his toughest test yet in Saturday's Craven Plate at Randwick.

The five-year-old has been somewhat of a surprise packet for trainer David Vandyke who said the horse showed little when he first joined the stable.

"He really is surprising me at every turn," Vandyke said.

"When we first started to work him he wasn't showing a lot.

"But the more we've done with him and the fitter he's got, the more he's shown us.

"I think he might run a cheeky race."

Vandyke is the first to admit he is throwing Less Is More in the deep end.

A three-time winner in France, the entire made an encouraging Australian debut when he closed for third behind Jacquinot Bay and Epsom Handicap contender Gangster's Choice over 1600m at Randwick last month.

But that was in a benchmark race under handicap conditions and on Saturday he steps up to weight-for-age company and Group Three level.

"It's a massive jump," Vandyke said.

"But we're just seeing if he's up for a trip to Melbourne."

Mourayan, runner-up to Less Is More's stablemate Lamasery in the Hill Stakes last start, is early favourite for the Craven Plate (2000m).

Rangirangdoo has been scratched and will instead run in the Epsom Handicap.