Group One winner Gondokoro is back and expectations are high with trainer Pat Carey nominating the four-year-old mare for some major autumn races.

The Queensland Oaks winner begins her 2014 campaign on Saturday in the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield against some tough opposition, including Darren Weir's Anlon and the Peter Snowden-trained Limes who were separated by a nose in the Manifold Stakes two weeks ago.

Among the races nominated for Gondokoro, who is sharing top weight of 60kgs with Chase The Rainbow on Saturday, are the Australian Cup at Flemington on March 8 and the BMW Stakes in Sydney in April.

Gondokoro hasn't raced since the Queensland Derby last June where she finished fifth behind Hawkspur.

"She had a demanding winter campaign so we elected to give her the spring off to develop, and focus on the autumn," said Carey.

Her first-up assignment will be a searching one and Carey says she'll be finding her feet against some more seasoned horses.

"It would be fair to assume she will take a race or two to come to hand but you've got to start somewhere," he said.

"It's not ideal for us to be carrying 60kgs in that type of race and on a pure ratings-based assessment she should have 56kgs.

"But due to the quality of the nominations they can only work with what they've got."

Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison have elected to resume Star Rolling in this race rather than Friday night's Group Two Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Gondokoro carries on the tradition of her owner Trevor Delroy naming horses with a link to the African continent, it being a former trading station on the Nile.

There are Group One winners Ethiopia (Australian Derby) and Cedarberg (BMW) along with Angola, and the next horse to carry on the connection is three-year-old colt Harare, who makes his debut at Mornington next Monday.