Gai Waterhouse will swap ski boots for stilettos when she heads to her home track of Randwick on a Villiers Stakes mission.The premier trainer has been on her annual family skiing holiday in Aspen but will return to Sydney on Friday, just in time to be trackside for Saturday's feature race meeting.Waterhouse will have two strong chances in the Group Two Villiers (1600m), topweight Rabbuka and the classy Rockwood.History will be against Rabbuka, who with 58kg will be bidding to become the highest

Gai Waterhouse will swap ski boots for stilettos when she heads to her home track of Randwick on a Villiers Stakes mission.

The premier trainer has been on her annual family skiing holiday in Aspen but will return to Sydney on Friday, just in time to be trackside for Saturday's feature race meeting.

Waterhouse will have two strong chances in the Group Two Villiers (1600m), topweight Rabbuka and the classy Rockwood.

History will be against Rabbuka, who with 58kg will be bidding to become the highest-weighted Villiers winner since Key who carried the equivalent to victory in 1963.

In contrast, Rockwood appears well handicapped with 55.5kg considering he was Group One-placed in last year's Toorak Handicap.

Waterhouse's racing manager Robyn Hartney can make a case for both geldings and won't be surprised to see either give the stable its second Villiers following the success of Aqua D'Amore four years ago.

"Rockwood is the weight horse in the race and Rabbuka is in great form after winning a Listed race first-up," Hartney said.

"They're at two ends of the spectrum. Rabbuka has got to overcome the 58 but he is in form while Rockwood is well weighted if he's at his best."

Rabbuka led throughout to post a strong win in the Festival Stakes (1500m) while Rockwood, who started favourite in the race, trailed home a long last after copping severe interference in a scrimmage 200m after the start.

Hartney said he had shown no ill effects from the ordeal and the stable expected Rockwood to bounce back.

"You just have to forget he went around," she said.

"He's passed everything since then with flying colours, the ECG, the (barrier) trial and his action is good."

Blake Shinn will ride Rockwood with Waterhouse's other stable jockey, Nash Rawiller, to link with Rabbuka.

If Rabbuka can win it will be a training feat by Waterhouse as the six-year-old is tackling the Villiers at his second run from a spell.

The Randwick mile is renowned as one of the toughest in the country, although the Gooree-owned gelding has done plenty of groundwork with Waterhouse giving him three barrier trials before his first-up run.

Hartney also dismissed suggestions Rabbuka's Festival Stakes performance was flattered by the fact he went straight to the front and missed all the trouble behind him.

"Rabbuka's race pattern is always on-pace, his first-up record is sensational and he is always set alight around the 500 metres and makes it a genuine race from there," Hartney said.