The David Hayes stable is confident comeback galloper Growl will be in for a successful preparation after an encouraging first-up placing at Flemington.A one-time Caulfield Cup fancy who went to Hong Kong after running second to Desert War in the 2006 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, Growl was injured in his jumps debut at Oakbank eight months ago.In the incident he suffered an injured pelvis and a pulled muscle.However the seven-year-old responded well to treatment and a good spell at Li

The David Hayes stable is confident comeback galloper Growl will be in for a successful preparation after an encouraging first-up placing at Flemington.

A one-time Caulfield Cup fancy who went to Hong Kong after running second to Desert War in the 2006 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, Growl was injured in his jumps debut at Oakbank eight months ago.

In the incident he suffered an injured pelvis and a pulled muscle.

However the seven-year-old responded well to treatment and a good spell at Lindsay Park in south Australia and showed that with his first-up third to Tears I Cry over 1400m at Flemington on December 12.

"If he's going to have a good preparation this will be it," said stable foreman Bruno Rouge-Serret.

"He ran fantastic first up. We knew he was feeling well at home on the track and he was caught out wide early but just kept coming over the 1400m at Flemington."

His second-up test is on Saturday in the Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield.

Growl drew nicely in barrier three in the 11-horse field and will be ridden for the first time by Chris Symons replacing Brad Rawiller.

"He has improved with the run and out to 1700 metres will suit him," Rouge-Serret said.

"He's a more settled horse now after that long lay-off. He's come back firing on all cylinders and I think he'll run well at Caulfield."

Growl hit a purple patch of form early in the 2006 spring winning four of five starts including the Listed D'Urban Quality (1700m) and the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), both at Caulfield, before finishing 13th to stablemate Tawqeet in the Caulfield Cup.

The horse, who has won six races and placed in another eight of 29 starts for nearly $500,000 in stakemoney, hasn't managed to win in 20 starts since the Herbert Power.

He was placed just once in nine starts in Hong Kong where he is owned and had two racing stints.