Instead of hitting the Hume Highway to Melbourne this week, Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Rubick has been kept up to the mark in slightly cooler conditions.

With temperatures in Melbourne expected to rise to 41 degrees on Sunday and Monday, trainer Gerald Ryan opted to delay the colt's trip from Sydney.

Rubick is likely to go south on Monday or Tuesday night before running in the Blue Diamond the following Saturday.

Former Blue Diamond favourite Earthquake had a hitout at Cranbourne on Thursday while Rubick was given a solid anti-clockwise gallop at Rosehill on Friday with race jockey Brenton Avdulla aboard and Ryan holding the stopwatch.

"He worked the reverse way over half a mile (800m) and I timed him at 55.2seconds with his last 400 in 25.25," Ryan said.

"He has worked the reverse way several times and has had no problems.

"He will have another gallop on Monday or Tuesday and then we will send him to Melbourne.

"I kept him here because it's been so hot in Melbourne but it's also been pretty hot here.

"He will travel overnight when it's a lot cooler so he should be OK."

Both Rubick and Darley filly Earthquake have been to the races just once with the colt recording a time .5sec faster in his 1000m Randwick win last Saturday.

Ryan believes Earthquake and Rubick deserve to be at the top of Blue Diamond betting and does not hide his belief the colt could be the best two-year-old he has trained.