Prince Cheri could figure in a change to trainer David Vandyke's end-of-spring plans for the accomplished stayer.

A barrier trial winner on Monday, Prince Cheri is firming to run at Rosehill on Saturday, putting in doubt a start in the Ballarat Cup.

Vandyke took advantage of an extended deadline for nominations for the Sydney meeting after Prince Cheri caught him off guard in a Warwick Farm trial.

"I was quite surprised how much spring he had in his step in the trial," Vandyke said.

"The trials finished after the noms closed and I was talking through options with the owner.

"The way he trialled and looking at the noms for Saturday's race I thought he'd have to be one of the favourites because I felt it was a substandard Saturday handicap."

A last-start City Tattersall's Cup placegetter, Prince Cheri is one of three latecomers for the November Topaz and the six-year-old has been given 61kg, 3.5kg more than his stablemate Sir John Hawkwood.

The Ballarat Cup will be run seven days after the Rosehill race.

"If he runs at Rosehill, I certainly wouldn't close the door on it. We'll keep Ballarat in mind and see how he is during the week," Vandyke said.

"He wouldn't have to have a gallop but he would have to make the trip down there."

Prince Cheri's bid for a Caulfield Cup start came unstuck when finishing down the track in the Naturalism Handicap at Caulfield.

The import next stepped out a month later when he ran the bravest of races to take the minor placing in the City Tattersall's Cup won by Ruling Dynasty.

It was Prince Cheri's fourth run into a comeback since his career was interrupted due to back injury after making a promising start for Vandyke

In his second Australian preparation for the Warwick Farm trainer, Prince Cheri worked his way through the classes to start favourite in the 2013 Metropolitan won by Seville.