Consistent three-year-old Iconic is on trial for next month’s $400,000 Group 1 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) when he lines up in Saturday’s $80,000 City Of Glen Eria Handicap (1000m) at Caulfield.

An impressive winner first up over 1000m at Caulfield during the Spring, trainer Tony McEvoy said the son of Bel Esprit would head straight into the Oakleigh Plate on February 22 pending Saturday’s performance.

“I think he’s a very effective sprinter and he has been a bit unlucky a couple of times,” McEvoy said.

“I thought this would be a nice little kick-off race for him and if he shows me that he’s going well enough then he’ll go straight into the Oakleigh Plate.

“Should he get conditions to suit with no weight on his back in an Oakleigh Plate then I thought he’s the sort of horse that could run quite well in it.”

Drawn in barrier nine for leading jockey Damien Oliver, McEvoy said the gelding boasts the tactical versatility to race wherever he is best suited depending on the speed of the race.

“I’ll speak with Damien about the tempo of the race but I would say from barrier nine he’ll probably want to ride the horse a little bit patiently,” he said.

“He could lead or sit further back with cover; it will all depend on the tempo.”

Currently rated the $2.70 TAB fixed odds favourite after opening at $2.80 on Wednesday, McEvoy said Iconic was forward enough in condition to be right in the finish on Saturday. 

“I think he’ll run well,” McEvoy said. “This is not his grand final but I’m bringing him across there because I think he’ll figure in the finish.

“He’s very forward and is ready to go. He’s very fit and well and I’m very pleased with him.”

Turning attention to Adelaide on Saturday, McEvoy’s current leading contender for the $1 million Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), Piacenza, will resume in the $40,000 Two Year Old Plate (1000m).

Currently rated a $21 chance in pre-post betting with TAB fixed odds for the Blue Diamond, McEvoy said he wanted to give the daughter of Denman a nice experience after she endured a torrid run on debut in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield in October.

“We’ll give her a chance at the Blue Diamond,” he said.

“She had no luck in the Debutant and had a really bad experience getting knocked around so I thought I’d run her in Adelaide which I’m hoping will be a lesser pressure race (than in Melbourne).

“I just want her to have a nice experience and provided she comes through the race well she’ll come over to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m, February 8).”

Click here to view the full TAB fixed odds market for the City Of Glen Eira Handicap

Click here to view the full TAB fixed odds market for the Blue Diamond Stakes

Click here to view the full fields, form and barriers for Caulfield on Saturday