Thunderbird One could thrash his opposition in Saturday's sixth heat of the Winter Championship Series but he will not return to Flemington to contest next month's final.

Trainer Francis Finnegan is adamant the chase for spring riches will quell any thought of running Thunderbird One again in a fortnight.

Thunderbird One came from well back to win the second heat of the Winter Championship at Sale on May 29 but Finnegan said the former New Zealand galloper was always going to have only two off-season outings.

"He won't go to the final because he'll be in the spelling paddock after Saturday," Finnegan said.

"He'll be freshened up before the spring."

Thunderbird One is the sole horse Finnegan has in work as he works full time as an assistant to trainer to Mick Kent.

Aged in his late 20s, Finnegan says he has not had the inclination to open his own stable in Australia despite training Eileen Dubh to become a Group One winner in New Zealand when he was only 24.

"I didn't really come here to train on my own but I've always had a horse or two in work while I've been here," Finnegan said.

Finnegan started working with horses in his native Ireland but moved to New Zealand to work for trainer Mark Oulaghan when he was 19 before preparing his first winner in his own right a year later.

Finnegan says his long-term future lies training in his homeland but he still has some travelling to do.

"It's nice to get winners in Australia and New Zealand and hopefully I can get winners in Ireland one day," Finnegan said.

"But I'll probably spend some time in the (United) States first, maybe I'll go there in another couple of years."

But Finnegan won't be going anywhere while he has Thunderbird One racing in such terrific form.

Adam McCabe partnered Thunderbird One in his Sale win, which was the rider's first since breaking his leg late last year.

Finnegan said McCabe's knowledge of Thunderbird One's nuances was a key part of the Group Three-placed performer's first-up success.

Thunderbird One was scratched from last Saturday's Moonee Valley meeting when McCabe was unable to make the weight.