Of the four horses Gerald Ryan will saddle up at Rosehill on Saturday, the best is probably the one not racing at the meeting.
High-profile colt Rubick will have a solo gallop between races as he prepares for a spring campaign aimed at the Group One win which eluded him in the autumn when fourth in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
Although Rubick is trained at the track, his three starts have been elsewhere and Ryan is keen to give him a race-day experience ahead of his comeback in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill next month.
"I could have trialled him here on Monday but I thought it would be good for him to come out on a race day," Ryan said.
"He is bright and well and forward enough that the gallop will be all he needs."
Rubick's regular partner Brenton Avdulla is serving a suspension but will ride the colt in his gallop rather than let any other jockey become familiar with him.
After the San Domenico, Rubick, who hails from the Redoute's Choice family and is now raced in a partnership which includes Coolmore, will head to Melbourne for the Danehill Stakes which Ryan has won for the past two years with Charlie Boy and Snitzerland.
Ryan has just returned from a short break away from the stable, paying his first visit to Japan.
"We went to the sales and visited Northern Farm," he said.
"It was an eye-opener. We went to the yearling sale and the foal sale and also had a good look round Katsumi Yoshida's farm."
Ryan has three runners at the winter meeting including Inz'n'Out who is looking to cap his season with a $100,000 sales-related Inglis bonus in the two-year-old race.
The winner of two of his three starts so far, Inz'n'Out was beaten for the first time on June 28 when he as overhauled by the Chris Waller-trained Winx.
"He looks very well and has worked well by all accounts and the bonus is an extra incentive," Ryan said.
Stablemates Zaba Zaba Doo and Runway Star run against each other over 1200 metres in the benchmark 74.
Zaba Zaba Doo ran an even fifth last Saturday week at his first start from a long injury break while Runway Star goes into the race off a barrier trial win.
With Avdulla sidelined, Kerrin McEvoy takes the rides on Inz'n'Out and Runway Star while apprentice Lester Grace will be aboard Zaba Zaba Doo.