An appearance in Melbourne this spring remains a possibility for Malavio but the Group Two Villiers in Sydney is the main mission for the promising gelding.

Malavio makes the second appearance of his preparation in Saturday's Tooheys New Twin Willows Handicap (1350m) at Rosehill on the back of a pleasing first-up fifth in the Group Two Shorts (1200m) at Randwick.

Trainer Steve Englebrecht said the race looked ideal for Malavio who won the Listed Civic Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill at the end of June.

The Villiers Stakes (1600m) is on December 22 at Warwick Farm.

"The Villiers is still his mission and I'll probably give him one or two more runs and then give him about a ten day break before we have a crack at the Villiers," Englebrecht said.

"I haven't discounted taking him to Melbourne but it's probably a little unlikely."

Englebrecht believes Malavio is still untapped but showing enough potential to aim fairly high.

"He seems like he's going to be something better than average, that's for sure," the trainer said.

"Whether he fulfils that is another question, but at this stage he looks like being a really nice horse."

Malavio, who finished 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner Pampelonne in The Shorts, is the $3.20 TAB fixed odds favourite for Saturday's race which includes last season's Hawkesbury Guineas winner and Queensland Guineas runner-up Free Wheeling ($4.20).

"I think the race is ideal for him," Englebrecht said.

"The three weeks between runs is excellent for him and I'm pretty happy where he is at."