In a sign that spring is fast approaching, Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer and dual Doncaster winner Sacred Falls will step up another gear in barrier trials on Friday at Randwick.
Sydney Cup winner The Offer has already had a public outing, galloping between races at Rosehill last Saturday week.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse will give him a similar preparation to the one she employed with last year's Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente who had a couple of raceday gallops and barrier trials before heading to Victoria.
The Offer will run over 1200 metres on Friday while the Chris Waller-trained Sacred Falls will have a hit-out in a 740m heat which also features his stablemate Weary, third in the Doncaster.
Waterhouse's stable jockey Tommy Berry will be back in action at the trials to ride The Offer and also Diamond Drille, winner of the Queen Of The Turf who will run in a 1050m heat as she begins a campaign aimed at the Myer Classic at Flemington during the Cup carnival.
Berry has returned from another successful stint in Hong Kong and will base himself in Australia for the coming season.
Waller is aiming Sacred Falls at the Cox Plate in October which is also a target for Royal Descent who finished second in the Doncaster.