The Cleaner will have the first start of his Spring Racing Carnival campaign at Moonee Valley on 22 August, reports racing.com.
The cult figure’s trainer Mick Burles revealed that he had identified a 1500-metre open handicap as the starting point for the star of his Longford stable, who has been back in work for around eight weeks.
The 1500m handicap is two weeks before the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m), a race The Cleaner won last year, which Burles said worked out nicely for the gelding who has won four of seven starts at Moonee Valley.
“He’s about four weeks off racing,” Burles said. “He’ll run over 1500 at Moonee Valley on the 22ndof August.
“Moonee Valley seems to suit him.
“He’ll have a trial at Hobart before that. He’s just doing a bit of pacework at the moment, so we’ll step his gallops up a bit before that.”
WATCH: The Cleaner win the 2014 Alternate Railway JRA Cup at Moonee Valley
They will be the first two starts of a campaign that will be geared towards the $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on 24 October.
The Cleaner ran ninth in last year’s Cox Plate before going on to Perth, where he also finished ninth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).
The Cleaner was back at the races just three months later and has not raced since finishing fifth in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on 4 April.
Burles said the son of Savoire Vivre had appreciated an extended stint in the paddock after a taxing couple of campaigns and appears a stronger horse.
“He’s definitely benefitted from the break. He’s eaten a lot better and he’s muscled up nice and strong.
“I want to have a go at the Cox Plate pretty fresh with him this year. The experience last year will do him the world of good...it’ll do me good too.”