Trainer Mitch Beer expects Perfect Illusion to recapture his best form third-up from a spell at Benalla on Friday.
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The Kiwi import has had two starts since resuming and is approaching peak fitness after two starts over the mile.
Perfect Illusion was beaten by 2.4-lengths first-up at Kembla Grange when running third which has proven a good form race with three subsequent winners.
The six-year-old gelding then finished midfield in a TAB Highway at Randwick over a mile.
Perfect Illusion is set to contest the $50,000 Weary Dunlop Hcp, (2046m) with Teo Nugent booked to ride.
Beer said he expected Perfect Illusion to prove competitive third-up with the staying trip over 2000m also in his favour.
"He was excellent first-up and then had 61kg the other day in the Highway," Beer said.
"He got back and they went pretty hard.
"He raced like he was looking for 2000m and made good enough ground late.
"Out to 2000m, third-up is in his favour.
"Last time he was third-up over 2000m, he ran sixth in the Albury Cup which was a really good run.
"So you would think if he was able to replicate that, he will be right in the finish."
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Perfect Illusion is an $8.50-chance in fixed odds markets.
Beer will also have a three-pronged attack in the $125,000 Benalla Cup, (1406m) with stablemates Aim Smart, Sky Call and Mnementh.
The young trainer said Aim Smart looked to be his best hope in the feature despite a lacklustre performance at Canterbury when resuming.
In a massive weekend for the stable, Beer will have four runners at Benalla today.
He will then saddle-up nine runners on his home track tomorrow.
Beer will also have a runner on the Cox Plate program at Moonee Valley with Hardware Lane set to contest the $500,000 Inglis Banner, (1000m).
Hardware Lane finished near the tail of the field when making his debut at Caulfield earlier this month.
Star hoop James McDonald is booked to ride the two-year-old colt.
