John Bateman promises to have a better chance than most trainers of coaxing the best out of Al Dhafra, an ageing stakes-winning galloper which returns to city racing on Wednesday.

As foreman for Guy Walter when the late Warwick Farm trainer operated a satellite stable at Goulburn, Bateman had a lot to do with Al Dhafra's racing education.

It was a behind-the-scenes involvement that was integral in Al Dhafra winning four of his first six starts.

One of those wins, in the Carbine Club Stakes during the 2010 autumn carnival in Sydney, was enough to attract interest from Asia.

The sale fell through and it's been a difficult journey since for the eight-year-old despite a Warwick Farm win almost two years after claiming the Carbine Club.

"His joints in his hocks have troubled him," Bateman said.

"They had him sold as a young horse to Hong Kong but after that, that's when his problems started to happen and he was just never real sound from there."

Al Dhafra was destined for an early retirement to the show circuit until his owner Narelle O'Sullivan convinced Bateman to give her horse one more chance.

"I only took him on because I had plenty to do with him in the past," Bateman said.

"We just never saw the best of him. Admittedly he is eight years old but he hasn't been knocked around.

"If we can get it out of him again, well and good. But if something goes wrong with him well he'll probably go and be a show horse because he's a real nice sort."

Bateman says Al Dhafra is leniently treated after apprentice Samantha Clenton's 3kg claim in the More Than Ready Handicap at Warwick Farm.

But he figures some of the opposition might be too sharp over 1150m, considering most of Al Dhafra's wins have been at 1400m and beyond.

"If he finishes off over the top of them, well and good," Bateman said. "But if he runs home well for second or third that will be OK."

The midweek meeting will also be a pivotal moment for another horse on a comeback trial.

Three-year-old filly Veloce Forte will return to racing in the Cal Rei Handicap as an impressive winner of her only start at Kembla Grange almost a year ago.