The  2013 Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner heads nominations for the support program to Saturday's $500,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington. 

The Robert Hickmott-trained six-year-old, who hasn’t raced since his late-closing sixth behind Fiorente in the Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5, heads a list of 20 entries in the Group 3 TAB Rewards Stakes (1400m).

We saw Fiorente most impressive winning first up in last Saturday’s Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, and Fawkner also has an outstanding first-up record and relishes the 1400 metres at Flemington.

He won the Listed Sofitel Stakes first-up over the course and distance in September 2012 and followed up with consecutive wins over the track and trip in the Listed Headquarters Stakes and Group 3 tab.com.au Stakes.

Last autumn, Fawkner finished a first-up third behind Black Caviar in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Promising stablemate, the import Foundry, who won of the course and distance at his first Australian start on February 15, also is a nomination for the TAB Rewards Stakes, as is Rick Hore-Lacy’s grey Chase The Rainbow, who missed the Sunday’s Listed Kilmore Cup after winning the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) at Caulfield on February 8. He is Doncaster Handicap bound.

Trainer Peter Moody also expects to kick off the autumn campaign for the bold-going Strawberry Boy, who early last spring was the favourite for the Caulfield Cup, in this race.

Strawberry Boy hasn’t raced since finishing third behind Boban in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 19. Moody was forced to abandon the rest of the campaign due to the gelding’s nagging back soreness.

Last season’s glamour filly Miracles Of Life, who won the Group 1 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes amidst emotional scenes, may return to racing in the Listed ATA/Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) on Saturday.

According to trainer Rob Clarken, speaking to Adrian Dunn on racingnetwork.com.au, a run will depend on how the filly performs in a 900-metre jump out trial at Morphettville tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

The filly failed to win in three starts in the spring and pulled up with an exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage after her seventh behind Lion Of Belfort in the Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m, Caulfield) on October 12. Also making a comeback of sorts is the filly’s regular jockey Lauren Stojakovic, who has been passed fit to ride after breaking her wrist in a fall at Port Lincoln on January 10.

Eloping, who has the Earthquake form line, heads the nominations for the Listed Festival of Racing 1000 (1000m).

The filly, trained by Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison, won her first two starts before leading and finishing second behind Earthquake in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8.

Earthquake went on to dominate last Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes, whereas Morgan and Widdison opted for an easier assignment for their filly.

Saturday’s staying feature, the Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) has attracted a healthy set of 18 nominations, with many of them using the race as a lead into the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 10.

OTI Racing’s import Prairie Star and Darren Weir’s exciting prospect, Prince Of Penzance heads the nominations that also includes Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) winner Outback Joe and Peter Moody’s surprise Mornington Cup third placegetter, Macedonian.

Cooldini, trained by Robert Smerdon, will appreciate the return to Flemington. The gelding won consecutive 2500-metre races on dead ground at the track in June last year, followed by a third, when $1.95 favourite, behind De Fine Lago and Outback Joe, in The Banjo Paterson (2600m, Flemington) on July 6.

Cooldini was a disappointing seventh behind Instrumentalist in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on February 12 when jockey Glen Boss could offer no reason for the performance.

Moody’s good recent run could continue with A Time For Julia, who is one of his three nominations for the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m).

The lightly-raced mare couldn’t have been more impressive winning the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 8 with Luke Nolen in the saddle. Early in the spring, A Time For Julia finished third behind Commanding Jewel in the Group 3 Let’s Elope Stakes over the Flemington 1400m metres.

Moody also has nominated the promising Sino Eagle, a last start winner over the course and distance, and the smart Floria, who is first up since winning the Group 3 Summoned Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield on November 16.

Click here to view the full list of nominations for Flemington on Saturday