Expensive colt Jawwaal is set to have his first start as a gelding for trainer Mitch Beer on the Kensington track at Randwick on Saturday.
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The four-year-old son of Snitzel was an $800,000 purchase from the 2017 Inglis Easter yearling sales and was originally trained by Team Hayes.
Jawwaal won a maiden at Bendigo alongside several minor placings in 10 starts for Team Hayes before joining the Beer stable for the new racing season in August.
The chestnut has a victory and finished runner-up on a further three occasions in five starts for Beer.
Jawwaal has been off the scene since running second in a four-horse race at Orange in early November.
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Beer said he was surprised Jawwaal has been installed the early $4.20-favourite for the $75,000 TAB Highway, (1400m) on Saturday.
In-form Sydney hoop Nash Rawiller has been booked to ride.
"I thought he was priced a bit short in the market," Beer said.
"Like most TAB Highway's it looks to be an ultra competitive race.
"A horse that ran second at Orange in a four-horse field last-start wouldn't normally be starting favourite in a TAB Highway.
"But the fact he has been gelded, is fresh and Nash is on board - there is obviously a few things there that punters like."
Beer said Jawwaal was easily one of the most expensive horses he had ever trained.
"He was an $800,000 yearling and is a half-brother to Amicus who won the group one Thousand Guineas.
"I'm pretty sure his dam is a half-sister to Starspangledbanner.
"So he is bred from a ripping family and purchased with the intentions of winning at Randwick - probably just something more lucrative than a Highway."
Jawwaal gets to his pet distance of 1400m where he has had six starts for two wins and four minor placings.
Beer said he expected Rawiller to race handy to the speed after drawing barrier nine in the field of 13 runners.
"The 1400m is definitely his go because he has had six starts at the distance and hasn't missed out on getting a cheque," he said.
"It is his ideal distance and I probably learnt that when I ran him over 1500m at Albury and he struggled the last 50m after having a hard run in front.
"Although he has been gelded he hasn't missed much work and was on the water walker and treadmill not long after the operation.
"We have been able to get some solid gallops under his belt over the past month and he looks spot on.
"He doesn't have to lead but is a horse with a good cruising speed, so he will roll forward but how forward I'm not too sure.
"When you have got a jockey the calibre of Nash on board, you leave it to him."
