Contributer has pleased his trainer with his first gallop on the tight Moonee Valley circuit ahead of his first spring start in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
It will be the first step in a campaign aimed at the Cox Plate in October with John O’Shea happy with the six-year-old’s work-out on Tuesday.
The son of High Chaparral wasn’t out to break the clock in the gallop, running 1200 metres in 1min23.39sec, coming home the last 400m in 24.85s.
“He’s had a nice day out and most importantly he got around the track really well,” O’Shea said.
“He came off the bend and worked to the line beautifully.”
Sheikh Mohammed bought Contributer for the Australian arm of his Godolphin operation after the horse won at Royal Ascot last year.
He scored a first-up win during the 2014 Caulfield Cup carnival before running eighth in the Emirates Stakes at Flemington.
He returned in the autumn in Sydney claiming three weight-for-age races including the Group One double of the Chipping Norton Stakes and the Ranvet Stakes.
Contributer was favourite for Sydney’s richest race, the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in April, but was ruled out on race eve with a leg injury.
O’Shea said Contributer was well and truly over his autumn problem.
“He’s been very good the whole preparation which was reflected in his work this morning,” O’Shea said.
“He’s got a good foundation going into Saturday.
“The horse is in great order and he’s got nice improvement to come from whatever he does.”
Contributer is the $2 favourite for Saturday’s race and shares favouritism at $11 with Highland Reel and Pornichet for the Cox Plate.
Foreteller, third behind fellow Dato Tan Chin Nam runners The Cleaner and Mourinho in last year’s race, has been added as a late entry this year along with Complacent, Mujadale and Bagman.
The race is named for Malaysian businessman Dato Tan Chin Nam, a long-time friend and supporter of trainer Bart Cummings who died on Sunday.
Dato Tan won four Melbourne Cups with Cummings – Think Big (1974 and 75), Saintly (1996) and Viewed (2008).
