Mourinho heads to his favourite track for a gallop in preparation for a race that could shape his spring campaign.

The country-trained galloper will line up in the Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday and victory will ensure a Cox Plate berth.

He was denied a start in the race last year when three-year-old Wandjina gained the final place in the field.

Mourinho has won five of his 11 starts on the StrathAyr surface at Moonee Valley and has been placed there three times.

He finished second to The Cleaner in last year's Dato Tan Chin Nam and beat the Tasmanian champion when he resumed in the P B Lawrence Stakes on August 15.

Dibayani, who finished third in the Lawrence, will also gallop at the Valley on Tuesday as will Godolphin's leading Cox Plate contender Contributer.

Former Sydney sprinter Kuro will also get a look at the track before he makes his debut for the Lee and Anthony Freedman stable in Saturday's McEwen Stakes (1000m).