Knee surgery for an Adelaide galloper has brought together an old team for a race at Caulfield.

Ballarat-based Dan O'Sullivan and a lot of the owners of Exodus have had a long association, going back to the turn of the century.

That's when O'Sullivan was based in Adelaide and training some smart gallopers, including She's Discreet and So Gorgeous.

She's Discreet gave O'Sullivan with his first stakes success while So Gorgeous was a multiple Group winner in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Prepared by Phillip Stokes, Exodus won six of his 21 starts in Adelaide before undergoing the surgeon's knife.

On Saturday the son of Bernadini will have his first outing since February when he lines up in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes.

O'Sullivan said there was three reasons that led to Exodus head to his stable.

"He'd reached his mark in Adelaide having reached the top end and there's a better spread of races for him here," O'Sullivan said.

"And with the knee surgery, I've got the opportunity to train him here at Ballarat on our straight hill track, so there's no galloping around a bend."

O'Sullivan said he would like to chase black type with Exodus for part-owner David Peacock, who bred the gelding, and who was a major client when based in Adelaide.

But he said the series of races for grey horses during the spring would also suit.

"David's got the mare and (half-sister) Bahamas has been Group One placed, so if this bloke gets more black type it then enhances the family," O'Sullivan said.

"He's going very well but I'm going to learn a lot off this also."

O'Sullivan said most horses returning from surgery were better off with a run under their belt and he's expecting improvement from Saturday's race.