Happy Trails will have to give weight to all his rivals in his bid for a second Turnbull Stakes win at Flemington.
The Paul Beshara-trained Happy Trails is among the 24 nominations for Sunday’s 2000m-Group One race and will carry 59kg.
A three-time Group One winner, Happy Trails won the Turnbull in 2013 with 57.5kg and will line up in the Turnbull for the fourth-straight year.
Beshara said Happy Trails would be a lot fitter for Sunday’s race and would be disappointed if the gelding did not finish in the top three on his way to the Cox Plate in which he was a close second two years ago.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist has 57.5kg as does BMW winner Hartnell and Sydney Cup winner Grand Marshal.
The Turnbull is one of two Group One races in Melbourne this weekend with the weight-for-age Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Sunday’s Flemington meeting also includes the Group Three Bart Cummings (2520m) with the winner earning a start in this year’s Melbourne Cup.
