As a guide to future Group One success, the Spring Stakes at Newcastle more than holds its own.

Trainer Clarry Conners hopes Wednesday's Listed 1600-metre race lives up to the past as he sends out He's A Given, a colt he believes has the scope to get to the top.

Since the turn of the century, the winners include Universal Prince, Hotel Grand and Sousa who all went on to win the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), the race Conners wants to target with He's A Given.

"I haven't had many runners in this race but Viking Ruler was placed in it behind a couple of pretty good horses before he went on to win the Spring Champion," Conners said.

Viking Ruler ran third in 2001 when Magic Albert beat Viscount who was already a dual Group One winner.

Conners also had He's A Given in a Class 1 race at the Newcastle meeting but decided to back his judgment and throw him in the deep end.

"I think he is a very nice horse with big future," Conners said.

"He won his first start at Hawkesbury and he should have won at Wyong at his second.

"He got further back than we wanted and there was too much ground to make up and he finished fourth.

"He is a very big horse and very strong. I think he is above average which is why I've got him in the Spring Champion."

He's A Given is the outsider in the field with Godolphin's Sweynesse heading the market.

Sweynesse is unbeaten after two starts including his season return over 1400 metres at Rosehill at the end of last month.

Kerrin McEvoy rides Sweynesse while Jason Collett keeps his association with He's A Given.