Taddei Tondo will be out to lift the spirits of the Moloney stable when he runs in the Christmas Stakes at Caulfield.
The Caulfield-trained galloper is prepared by Gerard Moloney whose brother John suffered a broken leg in a trackwork accident on Tuesday.
While the two brothers train under their own names, they work as a team.
John Moloney, who rides the majority of his own trackwork, underwent surgery on Tuesday for a compound fracture.
Taddei Tondo, a last-start second at Caulfield to Del Prado at Sandown on December 5, will be chasing his first stakes race success when he runs in the Listed race on Saturday.
"He galloped well on Tuesday morning," Moloney said.
"He's done well since his last start and I'm very happy with how how the horse is going."
Taddei Tondo drew barrier six in the 15-horse field for the 1200m-sprint and will be ridden by Gerard Moloney's son Patrick.
While winless at stakes level, Taddei Tondo ran second in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield during the 2014 spring carnival.
He was also placed in the Wangoom Handicap at 1200m during the May carnival at Warrnambool.