After a relatively quiet start, Craig Newitt's season can spring to life at Moonee Valley on Saturday with the jockey on strong chances in the two feature races.
Newitt is yet to get on the board with a city win in the opening few weeks of the season but believes that can change on Saturday.
"I've only just come back from a suspension so that sort of wiped out a week of the first month," Newitt said.
"It's been a pretty quiet start so far but we're starting to build up with some nice horses and hopefully we can keep the tyres pumped up for the spring."
He is looking forward to the return of stakes winning sprinter Adamantium in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) in the belief the five-year-old is in for a good campaign.
"I'll be disappointed if he's not there right at the finish," Newitt said.
"There is a bit of speed there on paper, but they'll be going pretty quick to stay with him I think."
Unbeaten in two rides on the Danny O'Brien-trained Adamantium, Newitt partnered him to a 1200m open handicap win at Flemington last December before an all-the-way win in the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m) on New Year's Day.
Newitt has ridden the sprinter in three jump-outs ahead of his return, including a "super impressive" hitout last Friday.
"He's pretty ready to go," Newitt said.
Newitt also re-unites with the Rick Hore-Lacy-trained Clevadude in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m)
Clevadude beat a luckless Cauthen at Moonee Valley three weeks ago but the New Zealander is favourite to turn the tables on Saturday.
Newitt won on Clevadude at the Valley last preparation and rode him to an unplaced finish in the Magic Millions.
He says Saturday's race is definitely the gelding's toughest test against some nice three-year-olds on the way up, but believes he has improved since his last start when ridden by apprentice Patrick Moloney.
"He has had the one run under his belt and has come on a lot since that win," Newitt said.
"He probably needs to, but he's another one that will put himself in the right spot and if he's good enough he should be hard to beat."