Rod Douglas has decided to bite the bullet and run comeback galloper Nato in Saturday's Ken Sturt Handicap at Caulfield.The Mt Eliza trainer scratched the grey from an easier assignment at Sandown on Wednesday, confident he would measure up to Saturday class after breaking through in a Warrnambool Maiden (1200m) at his last appearance.The win was Nato's first in eight starts and came at his second run back from an injury-enforced layoff of more than a year."He had a paddock accident and broke th

Rod Douglas has decided to bite the bullet and run comeback galloper Nato in Saturday's Ken Sturt Handicap at Caulfield.

The Mt Eliza trainer scratched the grey from an easier assignment at Sandown on Wednesday, confident he would measure up to Saturday class after breaking through in a Warrnambool Maiden (1200m) at his last appearance.

The win was Nato's first in eight starts and came at his second run back from an injury-enforced layoff of more than a year.

"He had a paddock accident and broke the accessory carpal bone at the back of the knee," Douglas said.

"He shattered it in half and it still has a crack through it but the fibrous tissue around it has hardened up and it seems to be holding together.

"It was a good win at Warrnambool as he didn't have a lot of luck and still ran good time.

"We took him there for a kill.

"It seemed to work and 1400 metres is his go."

Now a four-year-old, Nato showed promise as a spring two-year-old finishing third to Exceedingly Good in both the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) and the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington at his first two starts.

He was injured following his sixth to Dr Doute's in the Group Three Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in November last year.

A son of former top sprinter General Nediym, the gelding will be ridden by Dean Holland on Saturday and has drawn barrier 10 in the 1400m event which has attracted 16 runners.

It is the last of eight races on the Boxing Day program which is highlighted by the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) and Listed Lord Stakes (1700m).