The distance and the timing are right, it's now a matter of whether Highly Recommended chooses to produce the talent his trainer believes he has in abundance.

In the 11 months since he last won, Highly Recommended has been tested against some of the best company available and has come up a length or two short.

But trainer Peter Moody believes he has his chance in Saturday's Group Three Carlyon Cup (1600m) at Caulfield to reproduce the form that won him last year's Alister Clark Stakes and which had him looking like one of the better three-year-old colts around.

"On his best form he's well up to these at the mile," Moody said.

Highly recommended spent much of last autumn and spring trying to earn himself a reputation in Sydney but turned in disappointing efforts in his five runs.

Back home for his most recent start he ran a moderate sixth to La Remas over 1400m at Caulfield in a race Moody acknowledges wasn't the best choice.

"He was coming back from 2000 to 1400 (metres) in three weeks," he said.

"I thought he was sharp enough but he wasn't and he's probably at a more suitable trip now."

On a weekend free of Black Caviar pressures, Moody has almost the entire spectrum covered at Caulfield.

In the juvenile races he is looking to the colts Dissident and Thermal Current to provide some Blue Diamond encouragement.

The two ran in the same race at Caulfield two weeks ago, Dissident upsetting his stablemate who had no luck and ran the best finishing sectionals in the race.

He will also start the mares There's Only One and Never Forget in the Group Three Bellmaine Stakes over a distance that is probably short of ideal, but which isn't beyond either of them.

"The 1200 metres is probably short of their best, but late in the day it might suit swoopers and they'll both be very strong late," he said.

Another runner Moody is looking to for confirmation of his undoubted ability is Mulaazem who runs in the Group Two Autumn Stakes (1400m).

The colt won his first start by 10 lengths at Sandown in late July and then ran a lacklustre second in Saturday class at his next start when a hot favourite.

Mulaazem made a promising return from a spell at Cranbourne in December and then scored impressively at the same track last time out.