Gerald Ryan has deliberately avoided giving Dances On Stars a barrier trial in the hope keeping him fresh will deliver an overdue stakes win at Randwick.

The four-year-old returns from a six-month break in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1100m) on New Year's Day.

He has been stakes placed on five occasions, four times in races won by Sizzling including when second in the Queensland Guineas in June.

He was spelled after finishing sixth in the Civic Stakes won by Mic Mac in July.

"We gave him a good three months in the paddock and then brought him back to training," Ryan said.

"He's only a little fellow so I want to keep him fresh.

"I haven't trialled him so he's going into 1100 metres still fresh.

"He needs to kick off somewhere and this looks like a good place to start."

Dances On Stars gets into the Carrington on the limit weight of 54kg with Zaratone heading the handicaps with 59kg.

Ryan will be represented in the day's other Listed feature, the Tattersall's Club Cup (2400m), by Martinvast after connections opted to keep him in Sydney rather than travel to Western Australia for the Group Two Perth Cup.

"He took a couple of days to get over his last run and we decided the options were better for him here," Ryan said.

"This way we can give him another run in the Australia Day Cup before a short break.

"Then we can get him ready for Queensland and hopefully the Brisbane Cup in June.

"If he had gone to Perth the trip might have taken too much out of him and we might not have been able to get him back."

Ryan entered Windswept for the Standish Handicap at Flemington on Wednesday but has decided to keep him at home for a race at Rosehill three days later rather than take on Pampelonne at level weights.

"He's got the same weight as a Group Two winner so he will race at Rosehill instead," Ryan said.