Trainer David Hayes has tipped an improved showing by VRC Derby winner Kibbutz this Saturday at Flemington.
After racing against the cream of Melbourne's weight-for-age horses in his first three runs this spring, Kibbutz will drop back to handicap class in the The Bart Cummings, a Listed race over 2500m.
The event will be the first time Kibbutz has raced over a staying trip since his victory in last year's VRC Derby when he defeated leading Cups hope Littorio.
Hayes said Kibbutz, who ran ninth last start in the Underwood Stakes to Weekend Hussler, needed to win or go very close at Flemington for the trainer to be satisfied with the four-year-old.
"I think the tempo and the class drop he'll really appreciate and the distance rise," Hayes said.
But Hayes would be surprised if fellow four-year-olds Guillotine and Zagreb caused a boilover in the star-studded G1 Turnbull Stakes, where Weekend Hussler is the headline act.
"If they're finishing with in a couple of lengths of Weekend Hussler I'd be content and if they got within half a length I'd be extremely happy," he said.
Both horses will meet Weekend Hussler significantly better at the weights in the Caulfield Cup. Guillotine will drop from 56kg in the Turnbull to 50kg, while Zagreb goes from 54kg to 50kg.
Guillotine was a surprising but impressive winner at his most recent run in the G2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) where he beat a class field including Maldivian and Pompeii Ruler, who are both engaged in the Turnbull.
"He beat everything but Weekend Hussler the other day. All the hot ones were in that race," Hayes said.
The Turnbull, however, would be 'by far the hardest race' Zagreb had been in, Hayes said.
"He might be looking for a mile and a half (2400m)," he said. "It will be interesting to see him in this class."