It may be the middle of winter but the reappearance of talented staying mare Exceptionally in the $80,000 Dominant Travis Harrison Cup (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday has her trainer Terry O’Sullivan already considering the Spring, says Racing Victoria.

After recording minor placings in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m), Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) and the Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) during last year’s Spring Racing Carnival, it is no surprise to see the daughter of Ekraar allocated 61kg before the 3kg claim for apprentice Ryan Hurdle.

Last seen at the races finishing third in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2200m) in November, trainer Terry O’Sullivan said the main problem he faced during the six-year-olds time away from the races was with her gaining too much condition.

While he is unsure of the path she will take towards the Spring Racing Carnival, O'Sullivan said he would be looking for an eye-catching first-up performance from Exceptionally on Saturday.

“Her problem is that she does too well during her spell so we have to give her a special diet when she’s in the paddock,” O’Sullivan told RSN.

“I would expect her to be running home pretty strongly and she does go pretty well fresh.

“She’s only had the one jumpout, we would’ve liked to have probably given her another jumpout but we went to Ararat and galloped her and I was pretty pleased with her work there.

“We’ll just give her this run and then possibly one more and then we’ll see whether we give her a short break and come back for the Spring as we did last year or whether we press on, she’ll let us know.”

The apprentice-only Travis Harrison Cup honours the memory of former Victorian apprentice Travis Harrison who died in a car accident in 1996, and has attracted a quality 11-horse field.

Chris Waller’s Stakes-placed UK import Pipette, to be partnered by Chad Schofield, will also line-up alongside Peter Moody’s Dayita and Mick Price-trained pair Imoto and Kitty Cotswold.

Earlier on Saturday’s eight-race card, Geoff Wheeler’s last-start Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) winner She Can Skate will attempt to continue her meteoritic rise in the $80,000 Simpson Construction Handicap (1200m).

A winner at both starts this campaign, the daughter of Bradbury’s luck will lug the 58 kilogram topweight against fellow last-start Stakes winner Octavia, who resumes from a freshen up for the Moroney stable, as well as Darren Weir’s Truffle, a winner at the track and distance earlier this month.

Impressive debut winner Under The Louvre steps out again for Caulfield trainer Tony Vasil in the day’s opening two-year-old event over 1000m while interest also centres around class gallopers Elite Elle in the $100,000 Aquanas Foods Handicap (1000m) and Mister O’Ceirin in the $100,000 Dominant Handicap (2040m).

The full fields, form and draws for Saturday’s Moonee Valley meeting, which kicks off at midday, are available here.