Unbeaten Nicastro has a "pretty ambitious spring" mapped out for him by trainer Jarrod McLean, beginning with Saturday's Listed Essendon Nissan Stakes at Moonee Valley.McLean said he had been hampered by wet tracks after heavy rain at his Warrnambool base and had opted for the 1200m event over Sunday's Chatswood Vase 72 Hcp for three-year-olds over 1300m at Seymour."It looks like it might be a small field at the Valley and that race will suit him more at this stage of his preparation," McLean sa

Unbeaten Nicastro has a "pretty ambitious spring" mapped out for him by trainer Jarrod McLean, beginning with Saturday's Listed Essendon Nissan Stakes at Moonee Valley.

McLean said he had been hampered by wet tracks after heavy rain at his Warrnambool base and had opted for the 1200m event over Sunday's Chatswood Vase 72 Hcp for three-year-olds over 1300m at Seymour.

"It looks like it might be a small field at the Valley and that race will suit him more at this stage of his preparation," McLean said.

"It will give us a guide as to where we are heading with him. He won his first two races well at Stawell and Mildura. I'm not sure how the form will hold up but all you can do is beat them.

"And his win at Swan Hill was very good. I think he'd had enough on that occasion but he still dug deep to beat a promising horse trained by Clinton McDonald (Finishing Card)."

Those three wins earned Nicastro the Country VOBIS Horse of the Year last season.

"We've got a pretty ambitious spring mapped out for him and taking on the better three-year-olds over 1400 metres to 1600 metres," McLean said.

"But Saturday will be a nice measuring stick for us."

McLean said he was hoping the Testa Rossa gelding could earn a start in the $1 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10.

He intends to run Nicastro in the Listed Henry Bucks Best Dressed Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 5 and the Group Two Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at the Moonee Valley night meeting on September 25 as lead-ups to the Guineas, all going well.

"He's probably the most exciting horse we've had anything to do with," McLean said.

Nicastro will be up against Doomben Slipper winner Carrara, Caulfield winner Alkhafif, Doomben winner Umanugget and Sandown winner Cabeza on Saturday.