Darryl Sherer
Rising Red continues a preparation towards a possible late Sydney assault when he runs in the Golden Mile at Bendigo.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained stayer will be having his second start in 13 months when he lines up on Saturday.
A year ago, Rising Red was being aimed at the Australian Derby but suffered a suspensory injury in the lead-up.
He had beaten older horses over 2100m at Sandown before splitting Gingernuts and Jon Snow in the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
Gingernuts went on to win last year's Rosehill Guineas with Jon Snow successful in the Derby.
Busuttin and Young have three runners in this year's Derby on Saturday.
Rising Red finished 10th first-up at Flemington over 1400m last month with Busuttin saying it was a great run, but a terrible ride.
"He had a good draw but was three and four-deep for the race," Busuttin said.
"It's not something you want to see for a horse having his first run in 13 months and coming back from injury.
"He stuck on well and went great."
Busuttin expects the 1600m of Saturday's Listed race to again be too short but will be pleased if the gelding is strong at the line.
"On the turn at Flemington he got off the bridle and was going to drop out of it, but on the line he was going really good and was only three lengths from the winner," Busuttin said.
"They were gun horses and he's a 2000-metre horse.
"It'll be a gun field on Saturday but if he finishes well we'll look at popping up to Sydney for the JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 21.
"We''ll get him through this, one step at a time, without any firm plans.
"But he showed me he was on track with that run."
Busuttin said Weapon would appreciate coming back from 1600m of his latest effort at Sandown when he runs over 1400m in the Listed Bendigo Guineas.
The trainer said it looked a tough assignment but was a race worth having a crack at.
"A $150,000 race, over 1200 or 1400 metres, there's always going to be a good field and I don't think this will be any different," he said.
Natalie Young reckons barrier draws cost Rising Red and Sully wins in the New Zealand Derby and its Victorian equivalent, and she fears history could repeat at Randwick.
Young, who trains with partner Trent Busuttin, was frustrated after their trio of runners in Saturday's $2 million Australian Derby (2400m) copped less than ideal alleys on Tuesday.
"We ran second in two Derbies last year because of the barriers and we could be in the same position this year," Young said.
Rising Red jumped from 17 before finishing runner-up to Gingernuts in the 2017 New Zealand Derby while later in the year Sully ran second in the Victoria Derby to Ace High from barrier 14.
The couple's leading hope Belfast ($9) drew barrier 17 of 20 in Saturday's field of 18 plus two emergencies while Salsamor ($11) came up with 19 and Main Stage ($51) 12.
While Young lamented the draw, rival trainer David Payne was delighted after long-time favourite Ace High received barrier two.
Payne had hoped for a slot inside six and now just needs the weather to stay fine to enhance the colt's chances of claiming a third Group One win.
Four-time Australian Derby winning trainer Murray Baker has four runners with Mongolian Marshal drawing the outside.
Baker and his training partner Andrew Forsman won last year's Australian Derby with Jon Snow and New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance is the most favoured of the quartet.
Vin De Dance ($9) drew barrier four and will be ridden by Jason Waddell who returns from a careless riding suspension which followed the gelding's relegation from second to fourth in the Rosehill Guineas.
"He can put himself up on the pace and make his own luck like Jon Snow did," Forsman said.
He added Weather With You ($21) would be ridden positively from barrier one, Mission Hill ($11) would settle midfield regardless from nine, leaving Mongolian Marshal as the odd one out.
"He's always been ridden off the pace and if you ride him off the pace from barrier 20 you're going to get a fair way out of your ground so we'll have to think about that," Forsman said.
Young tried to look on the bright side where Belfast was concerned as the colt backs up from a fifth in the Tulloch Stakes last Saturday.
"Out of the three he's the toughest. You could back him up three days later," she said.
"The way he's hit the line the last couple of runs I'm sure he'll get the 2400."